


Pieces of You

by Swanny_Writer



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: (IT IS NOT HOSHI), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Convoluted plot is convoluted so hang on tight to your hats guys!, Fluff, Jeon Wonwoo Is Bad at Feelings, Junnie is a soft kitten who wants to help, Let's goooooo (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و, Light Angst, M/M, Mild Blood, Minor Character Death(s), Mystery & Romance, Naive Wen Junhui | Jun, Non-Graphic Violence, Protective Jeon Wonwoo, Slow Burn, Soonie is really excited to be alive, Strangers to Lovers, Wen Jun Hui | Jun is a Sweetheart, WonHui literally build a house (home) together, WonHui pretty much complete each other ♡, Wonwoo just wants to get shit done
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-02-09 23:14:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 31
Words: 230,591
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18648091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Swanny_Writer/pseuds/Swanny_Writer
Summary: Ten years after the tragedy that struck his family and hometown, Wen Junhui still seeks to make amends, convinced the deaths were his fault. He had believed that with time and his good deeds, Diamond Creek would come to forgive him. At home for the summer, Junhui accepts to help renovate the old Jeon House; however, when he inadvertently discovers the dark secret of the heir to the house, he finds himself trapped inside the Jeon family’s gruesome and tragic history.Jeon Wonwoo is sent to Diamond Creek on a mission to retrieve the only salvation for the Alcaeus Clan under the pretense of restoring his great-grandparents’ house. After Junhui uncovers what he really is, Wonwoo has no choice but to keep an eye on the boy to insure that he keeps his word. Wonwoo never expects that in the process, Junhui’s own secret might be the key to his past.Or the one where WonHui fix up an old house over the summer and go on a treasure hunt. A bunch of creepy dudes want to kill them, but they still fall in love anyway.-





	1. Routine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! ( ⸝⸝•ᴗ•⸝⸝ )੭⁾⁾ It's been ages lol. Hope everyone is doing well! 
> 
> In case you didn't see my notes on Twitter, this project will be very similar to THOY and AEBH in that the story is prewritten, but I'll go through each chapter to edit and make sure the characterizations fit with SVT. Thematically, it's closer to THOY than AEBH (ie. more romance-orientated yay! lol). Right now, it stands at 200K 😅 so we'll see how long it is by the end, with all the editing done.
> 
> Ok, that's enough rambling. Let's get to the actual story. Thank you for your constant support, and I hope you will enjoy the journey as much as I did! (๑>ᴗ<๑)

 

 

The last few minutes left of prep time before the kitchen opens for the dinner rush could always be felt. Knives hitting the cutting boards faster, the expert hands swiftly sliding the chopped herbs and vegetables into the pots and pans. Then the sizzling of the hot cooking utensils would drone out the usual chatter of the kitchen. Gentle footsteps would increase to rapid bustle. Everything adding to the buzzing electricity confined in such a small place.

Glancing at the clock, Junhui waited approximately a minute until he heard the bell hanging over the front door ring. Then five seconds passed before the door swung close, ringing the bell one more time. Within those seconds, he had begun to clean up his station, then proceeded to hang up his apron and wash his hands. All the while, getting out of the way of the boiling water pots, the fiery stove, and the sharp knives. Carefully, he navigated away from his usual spot in the back corner of _Chuck’s_ kitchen.

“Thanks again for helping us out, Junhui!”

He turned around to smile at Edward Kwon, the executive chef and a family friend. Chef Kwon was tasting one of the saucepans on the cooling counter, his blonde hair mussed and sticking up in different directions.

“A little more salt,” he instructed Henry, who quickly grabbed the salt shaker and threw it at his boss. “We’ll see you soon!” the man told Junhui, before hurrying to the stew pots.

“Bye!”

A hot and dry gust of wind blew past him as Junhui pushed open the door to step out into the evening streets of Diamond Creek. He had come back from school for over a week now, but he’d spent most of his time at the bistro, helping Chef Kwon out with the busy work: refilling spices and condiments, folding napkins, washing dishes, “and whatever else needs to be done.” Chef Kwon's sister was on maternity leave and wouldn’t be coming back until some time next week. It wasn’t exactly how Junhui had wanted to spend his summer, but it was what it was.

 _You owe them, Jun_.

He sighed mentally at his inner voice. He did owe them. This whole town, in fact, and he had no idea how or even if he would be able to repay that debt.

As he fell back into the routine of his evenings after leaving _Chuck’s_ , he let his mind wander through the paved roads of the small town. Across the street, Mr. Peterson was walking his golden retriever, as he did every day around this time. Max barked happily when he spotted the boy, and Junhui offered them a wave. Right on schedule, the (now dim) neon lights over the shops and boutiques flickered on, one by one down Main Street. He passed by the dress shop that every girl goes to during Homecoming and Prom season, seeing Mrs. Bridgeport close down for the night; her cat Buttons curled up by the shop window. Like a well-oiled machine, everything Junhui had seen happen for the past twenty-odd years unfolded once more. Things didn’t change much in Diamond Creek. Including the potholes and crumbling old walls. They’d been in that state ever since he could remember.

It was nice to fall back into the routine of a small town. He relished in the expected, where things were safer in a way. Having to go away for college, he’d miss that aspect of his life. He’d miss Diamond Creek and its people and familiarity. One thing about the town that he wasn’t sure whether to miss or be glad that it was only contained within the city limit, was its tendency to believe in magical occurrences and to blame mythical creatures.

Not to say that the whole town was delusional. Just that, whenever something disappeared for no apparent reason, the first thought to cross people’s minds would be that an imp or goblin took it. And unless a reasonable explanation could be provided, they’d stick to that conclusion. Although most of the time the culprit of “the case of the missing keys” would be a toddler or the dog, he’d seen enough in his life to understand why people continued to believe in magic and creatures of legends. Some things just couldn’t be explained with science and logic.

So engrossed in his thoughts, Junhui didn’t even realize a car was following him until its headlights hit his back and cast a shadow in front of him. It slowly drove up and stalled. He let out a sigh of relief when he recognized the CR-V and the driver behind the wheel to be his own brother. Minghao unlocked the door, then waited for him to climb in.

“How long have you been tailing me?” Junhui wondered as he clicked the seat belt in place. The other made a U-turn and headed for the library.

“A couple streets,” he shrugged. “New arrivals just came.”

Junhui groaned internally. The boys knew what those words implied. Their mother had been a paleontologist before she was forced to retire early. Now she managed the town library, books and science magazines the only way she could feel close to her passion nowadays. As such, “new arrivals” for her meant new things to read and explore. Which translated to Minghao and Junhui waiting outside the building for at least half an hour after official closing time. Then Junhui would be the one to go inside and remind her of the outside world. He didn’t blame her, though. The reason why she lost her career was partially his fault, after all.

Minghao parked in his usual spot, theirs being the only car left on the lot. Junhui checked the time, doing the mental math for when he would have to go in to reclaim their mother. In the meantime, Minghao cut the engine and rolled the windows down, letting the slightly cooler breeze blow through the car.

The skies looked darker now, only a few remaining orange strokes still lingered behind the low buildings. Another summer evening in Diamond Creek. Nothing changes. Something Junhui was grateful for. He’d had enough of changes to know how scary they can be.

Junhui glanced at his brother as the boy fidgeted with the radio, then settled back against his seat, closing his eyes. He and Minghao couldn’t look more different even if they had wanted to. Aside from their love of music and dance, they were complete opposites, from body shape to hair color, and temperament. Not even a single common facial feature. Was it any wonder, though, when they didn’t even share the same last name? They weren’t blood-related, after all.

Junhui’s parents got divorced when he was around three, and his father got custody. He didn’t have that many memories with his birth mother, apart for the occasional birthday cards and Christmas presents. He remembered her short phone calls for a while, before they, along with anything from her, disappeared. Apparently, she got remarried and moved across the country. He was around four at the time.

When he reached first grade, his father met Minghao’s mother. The only real mother he eventually came to know. Hyejin had her own familial problems with Minghao’s father. Minghao later told him that his father ran off with some other woman since Hyejin always travelled to some foreign country, excavating dinosaur bones and whatnot.

In second grade, the couple got married, and they all moved in together. Junhui couldn’t be any happier. For the longest time, though, he had no idea if the feeling was mutual with Minghao. The older boy didn’t talk to him much, although he was never mean nor did he show any resentment. He was just rather reserved when it came to his new younger brother, and preferred to keep his distance as he quietly supervised Junhui when their parents were absent. It also didn’t help that he’d usually nudge Junhui away whenever the younger got too hyper or tried to engage him in yet another strange adventure.

It took another year for the boys to grow close, and for Junhui to understand that Minghao didn’t purposely stay away out of dislike or indifference. He just he didn’t know how to be an older brother yet, and thought Junhui to be a little too exuberant for his own good (“I couldn’t play with you when I constantly had to watch you to make sure you didn’t bust your head open.”)

The fateful day that tipped the balance for them happened in third grade. Junhui was playing with Soonyoung and Seokmin during recess, when they spotted a cat by the back gate. The three managed to get close enough to see a collar around the tabby. Knowing it wasn’t a stray, they squatted down and took turns petting it through the gaps of the fence. They’d been giggling and talking to the cat for a few minutes when something crashed against the chain-links.

The kids shrieked, and the cat ran off to the corner of the street. Obnoxious laughter made the kids look back. The source of the ruckus was a group of older kids, all big and loud. With just a brief glance at Junhui and his friends, the one with the darkest hair picked up a rock and threw it at the cat. When the little creature hopped away, he repeated the throw with another rock. The frightened cries of the cat caused them to laugh, and Junhui stood up, little hands curled into fists.

“Hey! Stop!” he shouted above the cackles. “Why are you so mean? You’re going to hurt her!”

The bully paused his twisted game for a second to glance down at him. Junhui gulped, instinctively backing away from the scary boy. “So what, small fry?” he barked a laugh, stalking toward him. “You wanna take her place instead?”

Junhui’s eyes widened, belatedly understanding the trouble he’s gotten himself in. “N-no, I— _Ah!”_ A single shove was all it took to land him on his bottom, palms and elbows scratched by the rough cement. His eyes prickled with tears, and his chest felt tight as mocking cackles rained over him.

“Junnie!” Soonyoung shouted, pushing his way through circle of bullies to reach his friend, but the bullies shoved him down to the ground, too. “Cowards! Why don’t you go for someone your own size, jerks!”

“Who are you calling cowards?!”

The memory gets a little fuzzy after that because all Junhui could remember was crying and the sting of the cuts as he yelled at Soonyoung to stop antagonizing the big kids. Neither knew it at the time, but while the altercation escalated, Seokmin ran to get the teachers, screaming that his friends were getting attacked by giants. Despite the incomplete memory, Minghao’s face when he appeared on the scene with Mingyu remained the clearest sight.

Junhui had never seen the older look as furious before. Even more shocking was seeing the usually even-tempered and kind Minghao ducking a punch and elbowing the bully in the guts without remorse. Outside of wushu classes, Minghao had never used his skills on anyone. Stunned, Junhui just gaped as the fight broke out, grabbing onto Soonyoung’s hand as the other boy ran to him with a bloody nose and skimmed knees. It took the teachers arriving to startle the young boys out of the stupor.

Needless to say, everyone ended up in the principal’s office that afternoon, with their parents called in. The students sat against the wall, all bandaged up, awaiting their punishment. Fortunately, the teachers believed them over the bullies, whom got suspended, while Minghao and Mingyu were made to report for community service over two weekends.

The episode was a rather intense and epic way of breaking the ice between the brothers. But it worked. To thank him, Junhui saved up his allowance and bought him one of those gigantic tubs of jelly beans. In retrospect, Junhui might have chosen that particular treat due to the cat toy that came with it, but Minghao accepted the tub anyway (and gave Junhui the toy with a knowing laugh, ruffling his hair). Their father called Minghao a hero, which worried their mother that with the reinforcement, Minghao would go out and beat everyone up. Of course, her fear never manifested. Home was calm and happy for a while.

Until something Junhui did caused his father’s death and Hyejin’s career loss. Followed by his debt to Diamond Creek. Everything changed after that particular year.

So unlike most of the younger generation here, Junhui didn’t want change.

As he stared at the flowers on the green lawn in front of the library, the street lights began to flicker on. He turned around to check the time, the soft rock song playing quietly through the radio was the only sound. By dint of daydreaming, he was five minutes late.

Minghao was staring out the window, too, his fingers drumming softly after the beat of the song. “Do you want me to go in?” he asked, glancing at the younger. His dark eyes watched him, as if trying to see something on the other’s face.

“No, it’s fine, I’ll go.” It was a little strange for him to offer. Minghao had little patience with Hyejin when she gets into one of her overexcited moods. “Why?”

Shrugging, he returned his gaze on the street. “You seemed kind of lost for a moment. You got so quiet and unmoving, I thought you’d fallen asleep.”

“Nah, I’m fine. I’ll go get her,” he said, sliding out of the car. Taking the steps two at a time, he pulled back the heavy door and entered the chilled building.

Junhui walked through the reading area and turned toward the back rooms where her office was located. Seeing the door open, he poked his head inside. Books occupied every empty space, some piled on her large desk, others still contained in boxes. On the floor alone were at least five large cartons. In front of her laid about ten volumes, not including the one she had her nose buried in.

Wen Hyejin sported the same fair hair as Minghao, but with eyes as large as Junhui’s. Funnily enough, she actually looked like a middle ground between her children. It was easy for people to mistake Minghao and Junhui to be related when they saw her. Today, she left her curls loose, which touched lightly the pages of the book.

It took her a minute, but finally she noticed that someone stood in the room. When she glanced up and found him, she smiled, slightly surprised, the dimple on her right cheek showing.

“Hi, honey! What are you doing here?”

“It’s forty minutes after closing, Mom. Hao’s waiting in the car. Time to go home,” Junhui laughed softly as she blinked, then checked the clock on her desk.

“Oh, my! Where has the time gone?” Quickly, she began to gather her things, stacking the books back.

Junhui walked over and helped her clean up, putting away the volumes that she would take home to start cataloguing. Which would’ve been a lot less if she had spent her time inputting the data rather than read them.

“I bet you wish your mother wasn’t such a bookworm,” she said as she tried to find the lid of the boxes.

“You’re not _too_ bad,” he kid, and she laughed.

She settled for two boxes to bring home, promising that she will get to work right after dinner. Once she locked the library and they made their way to the car, Minghao stepped out to help them stack the cartons into the trunk. The boys shared a look, knowing full well she’d get through three volumes at best, before going back to whatever she had been reading when Junhui interrupted her.

“Are you guys hungry?” she asked, getting in the backseat. “What did I have set out for dinner?” she mused as Minghao put the car in drive.

“I grabbed a granola bar earlier,” Minghao said.

“I wish we didn’t have to carpool like this. You could have already been home by now instead of having to wait for me.” The CR-V was her car. Normally, Minghao would drive his pick-up truck, but currently his garage had a need of it to transport heavy parts.

Turning in his seat to see her, Junhui commented, “If you had a free car, I doubt we’d see you on time for dinner. The only reason you’re even coming home now is because we’re here.” He heard Minghao chuckle, while Hyejin nodded in agreement.

“You might be right.” Then she grinned ruefully.

Their house was rather far away from town. It took Junhui about half an hour to walk from there to _Chuck’s_ on days where Minghao woke up at the crack of dawn and left before he even got out of bed. Driving, it took about ten minutes, depending. The land the house sat on used to be a farm back in the day. Nowadays it was just a piece of land surrounded by trees and the house. The property came with a barn, too, but currently it served as their oversized storage unit and Minghao’s art studio.

Living out here had its perks: it was calm and secluded from the town’s activities without being too far. But it also came with wild animals roaming around. Mostly bunnies and squirrels, and from time to time, they’d have a deer or two, coming to snack on Hyejin’s plants. In fact, as the headlights swept the dirt path, a couple cotton tails hopped into the bushes.

The car parked, Hyejin and Minghao went to grab the boxes and headed inside right away. Junhui lingered by the porch a moment. He had set up some seedlings on the thick wooden railing. With this heat, the soil would usually be parched by late afternoon. Reaching to turn on the porch light, he leaned over the small plants and felt the dirt. As expected, it was bone dry. He grabbed the water bottle he kept nearby and sprinkled water over the three pots.

Heavy footsteps and movements in the shrubs caused him to stop and listen, bottle still inclined toward the little pots. A quick scan over his shoulders showed no one around. The lantern overhead buzzed quietly as he stood perfectly still inside the circle of light.

The longer he stood there, the more disquieted it got. Even when he told himself that the noise must have come from a deer or a stray cat passing through, his heart began to pump faster, regardless. The hairs on the back of his neck rose as goosebumps formed as a result at the invisible threat. Standing in the light made him an easy target for whatever creature prowled around. His hand reached for the flip, but then stopped at the last second. His body tensed up.

Junhui whipped his head toward the bushes, seeing branches sway. A twig snapped. A second later, a low and guttural growl tore through the quiet evening. He startled. A chill shot down his spine like ice. Whatever let out that snarl was no coyote. It was something much bigger.

The branches rustled, then parted to reveal a pair of bright, silvery eyes, locking on his.

A yelp escaped his lips as he whirled around to run.

He smacked right into Minghao.

“Whoa!” He grabbed the taller boy’s shoulders. “What’s wrong?” he asked, glancing behind the boy.

Relief flooded into his veins as he breathed, hand gripping at the jacket Minghao wore. Finding his voice, he said, “There’s something in the bushes. It growled at me.”

Minghao arched a brow, glancing from his brother to the hedges. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. I swear it’s not a prank.”

Taking another second to assess the situation must have convinced him of Junhui’s word. He nodded. “Go inside and make sure Mom doesn’t wander out into the yard,” he said firmly.

“Wait, don’t just send me away.”

“Junhui, please.”

He didn’t want to question him, but at the same time he didn’t want his brother to get eaten by whatever was out there. The younger stayed in place, stubbornly refusing to leave him by himself. Minghao grabbed a flashlight in one hand and his baseball bat in the other. He crossed the porch.

“Hao, wait for me!”

“Junhui.” He halted and pointed the bat at him to shoo him away. “Go inside with Mom,” he insisted, not budging until Junhui obeyed, albeit reluctantly. Then Minghao jumped over the railing and turned toward the trees behind the house.

Thinking fast, Junhui ran inside and stood by the window facing the side of the house, trying to catch a glimpse of him. The whole time, his heart beat like drums in his ears, skin tingling from the adrenaline coursing through his veins. It was too dark. He couldn’t see anything, couldn’t see Minghao, couldn't see the evil beast. Suddenly, the backdoor of the kitchen opened and shut.

His breathing didn’t calm down until he heard Minghao’s voice. “Jun might have seen a coyote out there. I couldn’t find it, but you better not go outside tonight.”

“Oh.” Hyejin stopped her work to glance outside through the window, Junhui assumed. “Hopefully it’s gone. Are you okay?” she asked as she carded her fingers through his hair. Then she turned her question at the younger when he came into the kitchen.

The boys both nodded.

Junhui walked to the sink to wash his hands, while Minghao went to put the flashlight and bat by the door again. He watched the soapy water run off, biting off his tongue. No matter what Minghao said, he couldn’t believe that it’d been a mere coyote. It sounded much bigger than one. And the eyes weren’t ones of a canine.

Throughout dinner, the question and curiosity continued to swirl around his head. He didn’t snap out of it until Hyejin mentioned something about a summer job for him.

“Wait. What did you say about a job?”

“Oh, you know Seo Olivia, don’t you?” he nodded. “Her nephew is coming to town, and he’s thinking of repairing the old Jeon house.”

“I didn’t know she had a nephew,” Minghao commented around a sip of water.

“And why would anyone want to repair that old house?” Junhui wondered. “Plus, it’s haunted.”

“It is not haunted,” she gave him a look. “I’ve been in there plenty of times, and I’ve never seen anything remotely close to a ghost.”

Among the very rare skeptics of Diamond Creek were his family. Coming from a science background, it was hard to come to believe in goblins and fairies. And obviously, ghosts as well. That was the reason why Hyejin volunteered to act as tour guide during tourist season. The _only_ volunteer.

That house has a horrible history, and just thinking about it made him wince. However, like most haunted ‘anything,’ it attracted tourists interested in a good scare during Halloween. And tourists meant more business for Diamond Creek. Nothing scarier than a house where murders were committed, including the mystery of the missing baby during the gory crime.

Before it became somewhat of a Halloween attraction, people had tried to make the house more hospitable, in order to sell it. But no one was able to live there for more than a few weeks before having to move away; ‘strange events occurred.’

“No offense, Mom, but you used to dig up bones for a living,” Junhui said. “And then spent most of your life working with creepy artifacts in a museum full of dead things and curses. You’re not exactly a good judge of what’s creepy and scary.”

Shaking his head lightly, Minghao tried not to laugh.

“Museums are not haunted, and neither is the Jeon House,” she emphasized. “If it were, I’d never had agreed to let you help them out with the renovation.”

“You did what?” Junhui cried. Even if it wasn’t a creepy house, he wasn’t exactly known for upper body strength nor for being good with fixer-uppers.

“Weren’t you the one who asked me if there was any community service you could do once Edward’s sister came back from maternity leave?” she questioned.

“Yeah, but…” Junhui fidgeted in his seat, scratching his hair. “I don’t know how much help I’ll be when when it comes to home repairs.”

“Yeah,” Minghao agreed. “He might actually bring the whole house down.”

“Hey!” Junhui’s pout only got his brother snorting a laugh at him.

Trying not to laugh, Hyejin schooled her expression back to a sympathetic and caring onlooker. “They only need an extra set of hands to clean up, to help pick up materials at the stores. That sort of thing.” Junhui was still not fully convinced, so she added. “And it’s only during the daytime.” She put her hand over his. “They need the help, Junhui. Her nephew is a direct Jeon descendant.”

His eyes widened and his jaw dropped. Even Minghao, the ever cool and collected one, chocked on his drink. “You mean... His family is the one who got murdered?”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo how was it? lol. I ask that knowing fully well first chapters are always a bore 😴 But hey, I finally to have Jun8 as actual brothers! (´∀`) And yes, Hao is older, just like he's wanted hahaha. Also, even though we know what their parents look like IRL, just um, please imagine Hyejin to look like a mix btwn the two IRL moms 😅 Oh, and since GyuHao are also BFFs here, MG is consequently older than SoonSeokHui. I swear the age thing doesn't matter, but in case you were wondering.  
> ANYWAY. I hope it was good enough of a start to keep your excitement for more. We'll get to see Wonwoo next chapter! YEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH ヽ(＾Д＾)ﾉ I'll post it on Thursday woot woot!  
> Thank you very much for reading! See you soon!xoxoxo


	2. Silence is Golden

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SoonHui hang out, and Jun meets the last Jeon descendant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soonie is aliiiiiiiiiive \\(*0*)/ 
> 
> Anyway, I do have an announcement. As you might have noticed, there is a tag for Hao/Original Character. We will meet that OC in this chapter. Not to be a spoiler or anything, but the story endgames with GyuHao, so pls don't worry lol. Also warning for mild blood. 
> 
> -

 

In the late 1930s, Jeon Taeseung and his wife Mikyung moved into the house on the Serenity Hill. People say the quiet and reserved couple mainly kept to themselves outside of work, not quite fitting in with the townspeople. Mikyung taught third graders, while Taeseung had a small shop in town, working as a carpenter. About a year after they welcomed their baby, they received a guest at their house.

The next morning, it is said that Mikyung aimlessly walked into town, splattered in red, dragging behind her a bloody ax. Eyes glazed over and face pale, she kept muttering that everything had been her fault. At the house, the authorities found the bodies of her husband and the male guest in the living room, both mangled almost beyond recognition. The baby, though, remained missing. No one was able to find him, either alive or dead. Mikyung wouldn’t say anything other that she was responsible for what had happened.

According to witnesses at the time, she committed suicide shortly after the police arrested her. No jury officially convicted her of the murders, but there was no doubt in the town’s mind that she was guilty. Nonetheless, some had called into question how she could have carried out such a gory crime, physically at least.

Jeon Mikyung was a petite woman; her attack could have easily been stopped by either man. How could she even swing an ax and hack both of them with such force? That, along with too little evidence, made it difficult to convict her. As for the guest, he was never identified, so his family and background couldn’t be looked into. With her death, the truth of what happened that night was buried along with her.

Sipping at his lemonade, Junhui stared up the road and glimpsed at the outline of the Jeon home. He currently sat at one of the tables set out on the sidewalk of the _Healing Scoups_ ice cream shop on Main Street. As he continued to contemplate the house on the hill, he came to realize how isolated it was from the rest of the town. The road leading to the house winded treacherously through a patch of woods, hidden from view. From here, he could see the iron gates, blocking the rest of the world out, keeping the Jeon secrets in.

Despite the many repairs and obligatory maintenance, the house remained forlorn and abandoned, visible through the gray exterior and wild vegetation surrounding it. It was odd how you can pass by something everyday, but never actually see it.

It had been two days since Hyejin mentioned the arrival of the nephew. Minghao had been wary, cautioning their mother to look further into the affair. For as long as they’ve known Ms. Seo, she had never mentioned once having any siblings, nor any other family relations for that matter. Furthermore, over the years, Ms. Seo had shown no interest in the house at all. She had been quite adamant about not involving herself, in fact. So who was this nephew and why did he suddenly decide to show up to repair such an old house?

“I’ll admit it is strange,” Hyejin had agreed at dinner, “But it’s not exactly any of our business. I was simply asked by the Mayor to talk to them, then to make sure they signed the papers to release the house back into Mr. Jeon’s hands. Whatever he decides to do with it is no longer Diamond Creek’s concern. Moreover, I don’t see any problem with Junhui helping out; it’s a historical landmark, almost. If Mr. Jeon wants to make it nicer, I say he should go for it.”

The subject was dropped then, and Minghao had refrained from making further comments on the matter. Junhui stayed quiet, too, but he couldn’t help but ponder over it.Something about the whole situation bugged him.

Truth be told, it was most likely sheer curiosity that kept him interested in the man’s background. That and the fact that Junhui was convinced the house was haunted, but he digressed. Sure, he’d be willing to clean the place up for a few hours in the daytime and help transport materials from the hardware store. But if Mr. Jeon was willing to renovate the place, why not have professionals do it? No doubt it would go faster than doing it himself with the help of his aunt and a (semi-unwilling) volunteer. Maybe to save money? To start on a renovation project without the proper means sounded even more strange.

“Yo!”

His musing came to a stop when a shadow fell over his shoulder. Junhui turned around to see a familiar redhead. Kwon Soonyoung leaned his bike to the side, where it wouldn’t be in anyone’s way, before taking a seat across from his friend at the small table.

“Hey, Hoshi.”

“It is so hot today,” he sighed, fanning himself with a napkin.

Junhui laughed. “Not more than usual. Here, have a sip.” Junhui slid over his glass of iced tea. “I thought you had deliveries today.”

“Thanks.” Roughly, Soonyoung ran his hands through his fluffy hair and brushed the fringe away from his eyes. He gulped the entire content in one breath. “I did, but I finished early. The day was just too perfect, weather-wise, to stay inside.”

“Mm.”

The Kwon family had a peach orchard on the fringe of town. Soonyoung’s unofficial job since he could ride a bike had been to make small deliveries to the stores in town, and occasionally home deliveries. Unlike Junhui, Soonyoung lived in Diamond Creek year-round, taking courses at the local community college in the town over. The career path he’d chosen for himself couldn’t be more different from his personality; he was working to be an accountant for his family’s farm. There was nothing wrong with accountants; everyone needs one once in a while. It just wasn’t what anyone would see Soonyoung doing. While his job demanded order and patience, not to mention attention to detail, he was impulsive and loud. Not to mention awful with a computer.

“So I hear we’re gonna have a new kid in town,” he said, resting his elbows on the table. Arching an eyebrow in question, Junhui waited for him to say more. “I passed by the mercantile, and I heard of the renovation plans.”

“Ah, good ol’ Mrs. Yoon,” Junhui chuckled, shaking his head. “That lady hears all and tells all.”

“No kidding. So when is he coming?”

Shrugging, Junhui pulled up a piece of ice with his straw. “Some time this week, I think. My mom still has to schedule a meeting for all the paper signing, and probably a tour of the house.”

“It’s so creepy to think about it,” Soonyoung shivered. “Like, I wonder how he grew up and learned of his family’s gory past. Did his parents just sit him down on his 18th birthday and say: ‘Son, it is time for you to know the truth!’ or something?” He laughed.

The other chuckled and made a face. “Yeah…” Junhui hadn’t even thought of that. “Must have been tough.” Distracted, he moved his gaze back to the lonely hill, where the house stood behind the black fence. “And sad.”

“He’s not gonna have an easy time here, either,” Soonyoung mused.

“What do you mean?” he turned his attention to his friend.

Soonyoung met his gaze evenly. “The town isn’t exactly forgiving. From the way Mrs. Yoon was talking to the women in the store, they won’t throw him a Welcome Party.” He didn’t have to remind the older of how difficult it was for the town to forget a tragedy, especially when they had someone to blame. Junhui knew that only too well.

“But if his name is Jeon, then he must be from Taeseung’s side of the family, not Mikyung’s,” he replied.

“I don’t think people care. He might as well be the one who hacked them up.”

The boys stayed quiet for a minute. The occasional cars passed by, hitting the potholes almost rhythmically. A bumblebee buzzed around the potted flowers hanging on the decorative fence. Junhui resumed the conversation after it flew away.

“Most of them forgave what I did, though. It’s hard to believe they would still hold a grudge against him for something done more than a century ago, when he is completely innocent,” he commented, then added, “except for the unfortunate event of being a Jeon.”

Sighing, Soonyoung shook his head. “People _have_ forgiven you, Junnie. It’s you who’s not willing to let go.”

He stared at him. “The Parks haven’t,” he muttered.

“Oh, Park Jaehyun can go fu—” Soonyoung stopped when Junhui gave him a look. Another thing about Soonyoung: he can make a sailor blush when he really wanted to. “He can go screw himself,” he spit out with a huff.

Rolling his eyes, Junhui gave a small smile. “He has plenty of reasons to hate me, you know. Besides, you’re too biased.”

“Jaehyun is a dumbass,” he insisted. “Even if we weren’t friends, I would still think so. And I won’t have a problem saying it to his face.”

“You have said it to his face,” Junhui reminded him gently, which made Soonyoung laugh once, eyes squinted into slits as he grinned proudly.

“Right, so I rest my case. It had nothing to do with you that one time,” he recalled. “Just because his uncle is the Mayor doesn’t make him king. I had the right of way, and he cut me off. Bastard.”

“Okay, okay,” he placated him with a squeeze to his bicep. “Let’s not anger you further, Kwon Fire.”

“Oh, shut up,” Soonyoung laughed, giving him a playful shove. “Okay, let’s get serious for a moment.” He leaned in low, as if about to share some secret plan. “I also heard the Gossip Committee say that you ended up volunteering for the restoration?” he wondered, checking the facts. Like all gossip, at times what the ladies discussed was far from the truth. This time, though, they were correct. “Why would you do such a thing? That house gives me the creeps even on a bright, sunny, summer day.”

“Yeah, well… Ugh, me and my big mouth.” Junhui groaned. “I asked my mom for something else to do once your aunt comes back from maternity leave. I guess that’s the first thing that opened up.”

Smiling warmly, Soonyoung patted his hand. “She’s living out her fascination with the house vicariously through you.”

When he put it that way, Junhui couldn’t be annoyed at his mother anymore. It was because of him she lost the opportunity to go out into the fields and dig up the secrets of the past through old artifacts.

“Yeah,” he nodded. Then wanting to lighten the mood, he offered a disclaimer, “And I know it’s for a good cause. I just hope I won’t get killed by the ghosts.”

“Babe,” Soonyoung teased, “You would have to make it through the woods first. You’ll get kidnapped by goblins way before the ghosts get you. Or… Mr. Jeon gets possessed by his ancestor and chops you up. Either way, you’re a dead kitty, Moon Jun.”

“Go ahead and laugh now,” Junhui shot back. “You weren’t exactly laughing last summer when that _thing_ ran out in front of your car. And then your car mysteriously broke down a few seconds later.”

Blanching, Soonyoung looked over both shoulders as if whatever ruined his car stood within hearing distance. Like most of the town’s younger population, on the outside Soonyoung refused to acknowledge those mythical creatures. On the inside, though...

“Yeah, well...” he stammered. “It _was_ scary.”

Junhui gave him a sympathetic smile. Reaching behind him, Soonyoung grabbed a small pack of cookies from the bike basket. He offered Junhui one, then glanced at something over his friend’s head.

“Uh-oh. Something wicked this way comes,” he sang under his breath, biting into the cookie. Discretely, Junhui looked back to see what he referred to.

Wearing a green miniskirt and baby pink top, Cho Hana walked up the paved sidewalk, her nose high in the air. Her highlighted curls were pinned back behind her head. A group of high school boys across the street gaped at her. As she neared him and Soonyoung, she unzipped the tiny bag on her shoulder and pulled out her phone. Pushing a couple buttons, she pressed the device against her face as she passed by.

Junhui shrunk back as if she’d attack him.

“That was totally uncalled for,” Soonyoung commented as he continued to eat his snack. “It’s not like we wanted to talk to her, either.”

Shrugging, Junhui finished the ice in his lemonade. “Unless Hao is within hearing distance, she won’t even acknowledge my presence, much less _talk_ to me. Which is for the best, really.”

“I still can’t believe he’s dating her. She’s a witch!”

“Yeah, well. To each his own, I guess.” He knew ‘witch’ wasn’t the word Soonyoung wanted to use, but one very close. One letter away, in fact.

“Ever thought about telling him of the horrible way she treats you? It might change his mind. Or tell Mingyu, and he can tell Hao.”

“I’m not gonna be the pesky little kid brother,” he said. “As long as she makes him happy, I’m happy.”

“Junnie, please.” Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “We both know that if it weren’t for me sitting here, you’d have clambered to the ground and hid under the table as she passed by.”

“I would not!”

Soonyoung gave him an unimpressed look, which he ignored by pretending to look at a butterfly.

“Hao could do much better,” Soonyoung continued to remark. “I bet she put something in his drink. Or like, asked her coven to possess him.”

“Hoshi…”

“How do you explain it, then?”

Playing with his napkin, he shrugged. “I don’t know…”

In retrospect, though, Junhui had no idea how she even caught Minghao’s eye. Hana, Soonyoung, and Junhui were in the same class in high school. She and Junhui didn’t exactly run in the same social circle, so it couldn’t be that Minghao noticed her from attending Junhui’s showcases and school activities. It was even less likely that she would somehow run in Minghao’s social circle. Unless she had stalked him for a while and feigned interest in what he likes long enough to get him to like her. Now he was in too deep to see reason and come to his senses. At least, that was Junhui’s theory.

Sighing dramatically, Soonyoung shook his head. “And to think... Hao used to save you from bullies at school. Now you’re not even willing to get him out of her clutches.”

“I doubt he’ll want to be saved,” Junhui mumbled. “Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be lucky enough to have the honor to call her my sister-in-law.”

“Ew,” Soonyoung wrinkled his nose, and Junhui laughed. The former balled the wrapper and tossed it into the trash can. “Come on, let’s go. My mom has been making peach cobblers, and there’s one with our names on it.” 

The boys left the café, Soonyoung walking his bike at his side. Since Junhui didn’t have a car, they had to resort to go to the house on foot. It wasn’t around the next corner, but the walk was relatively shorter than to Minghao’s garage to get the car. Besides, Junhui didn’t want to run into his brother’s girlfriend. So after a few minutes, they boys got to the Kwon’ neighborhood. The low and small brick houses looked adorable among the flowers growing in all the front lawns. Although at first glance, they all appeared the same, with closer inspection, each house had its own charm, mirroring its owner’s tastes.

Soonyoung parked his bike on the side of the house, then they went inside. The smell of freshly baked goods greeted them immediately, and the boys took in a deep lungful. Mrs. Kwon was pulling another batch of pies from the oven when they entered the kitchen. On the counter already sat four others to cool. Now the count amounted to six.

“Hello, Junhui!” she smiled at him. “How are you doing?”

“Hi, Mrs. Kwon. I’m doing okay. These smell amazing,” he commented as he and Soonyoung approached to stare at them, trying not to drool.

“Can we have one?”

She laughed. “This one’s for you,” she indicated to the one in the right corner. “It should be cool by now.”

“Thank you!” they said at the same time, then laughed.

After washing her hands and making sure the boys hadn’t burned off their taste buds, she went out to do some errands. Junhui was chewing the first few delicious bites, when he noticed Soonyoung sneaking around the kitchen windows, as if looking for something.

“What are you doing?” he wanted to know, curious.

“Seeing if Seokmin is home.”

He swallowed the bite. “Who?”

“Lee Seokmin. You know, DK.”

“Oh.” He thought a second. “Since when do you call him Seokmin?” They had been friends with him since elementary school, but then his parents moved him to Arthur Prep his sophomore year of high school. Junhui hadn’t seen him much after that. Since Seokmin and Soonyoung were neighbors, they remained in contact. Junhui just never heard him call him Seokmin out loud before.

“Since we’re all adults now,” he replied to the question. “‘DK’ only works when you’re a cute little kid running around.” That sounded silly to him, but Junhui refrained from commenting. “I think I see him.”

“You’re spying on him?” he asked with a laugh.

“No, I’ve observed my surroundings and noticed that he was home around this time of the day.”

“So you’ve been stalking him,” he suggested.

“No! Okay, let’s call him over to have some pie.”

His eyebrows pulled together in slight surprise, but Junhui shrugged it off. While he ate more pie, Soonyoung got busy texting his neighbor over, Junhui assumed.

“Follow me,” he put away his phone and grabbed the older’s wrist, pulling him toward the sliding glass door that led to the backyard.

“Where? Can’t we stay inside? It’s hot out there.”

“This is worth it,” he insisted.

With a sigh, Junhui put down his half eaten piece of dessert and followed him out. As predicted, it was a scorcher out there. Good thing the sprinklers had just gone off and the grass was still wet. Junhui took off his sneakers and treaded across the green lawn on bare feet. The Kwon still kept their kids’ old swing seats attached to the huge oak tree, even when the youngest, Channie, had already entered in high school. Leading the way, Soonyoung climbed the worn ladder to the top of the tree. Junhui went up after him and sat down on a branch, looking around for what Soonyoung claimed was worth the heat.

“Crouch down,” he motioned for Junhui to lower himself and hide behind the thicker leaves.

“What am I supposed to see? Why are you spying on people?”

“It’s not spying. It’s observing.” Junhui followed his eyes to the house adjacent to his, then the pieces fell into place. He should’ve guessed it sooner. From this height, they had a perfect view of the bedroom window on the second floor. But with it ajar, he could only glimpse at a silhouette moving inside.

“You are such a creeper,” he laughed, “Ow!” he laughed harder as Soonyoung swatted his arm.

“Wait once you see him. You’ll understand,” he said. “Right now, he’s doing a work tryout at the Sheriff’s office. And man, does he look good in uniform.”

“You say that about just any guy in uniform,” Junhui replied, moving away from the spying position. “But that’s cool, though. Is he pursuing a career in law enforcement?” That didn’t really register with the mental images he had of Seokmin when they were in school together. Seokmin had been the nice and sweet kind of guy, hyper and energetic most of the time, but very naive. Junhui couldn’t even start to imagine sweet Seokmin holding a gun, much less fire it. Not to mention the fact that he probably rivaled Soonyoung in terms of skittishness.

“Yeah, he’s thinking about it,” Soonyoung answered. “About the same time that my car got busted, he was driving through the woods when he heard this really weird and scary growl.”

His mentioning Seokmin’s encounter made Junhui’s blood run cold for a second. Could it be somehow related to what Junhui heard just a couple nights ago? He still hadn’t mentioned it to his friend, so Junhui stayed quiet and listened for the rest of the story.

“So he went to investigate—this was before he went to work for the Sheriff—and he found a blood trail. Ugh!” he shivered. Soonyoung was really queasy when it came to gore. “Anyway, he called Sheriff Rowan. They couldn’t find anything, but now he’s kind of into the whole crime solving business. To him, it’s probably like watching an episode of it on tv or something.”

“Yeah,” Junhui agreed absentmindedly. Now that Soonyoung mentioned it, the incident at Junhui’s house came to the front of his mind. Minghao hadn’t found anything, either. And thank goodness, whatever it was hadn’t found Minghao.

Soonyoung’s hand motions reminded him that they better get down from here before Seokmin came over and realized what they’d been up to. Back on solid ground, Junhui claimed the beat-up swinging seat, swaying this way and that. It didn’t take long afterward for them to hear the front door of the neighboring house opening and closing. Very unconvincingly, Soonyoung moved casually toward the front door to wait for him to knock. Junhui chuckled to himself.

Chatter and quiet laughs from the kitchen made him look up from his inspection of the droplets of dew on the grass. Soonyoung came out, followed by a young man Junhui barely recognized. The former was laughing at something Soonyoung had said. Lee Seokmin was now a fit and tall individual, his childhood features hidden under the angular jaw and high cheekbones. He cut his hair shorter; the shaggy black locks were now neatly trimmed and brushed up, showing his high forehead. Junhui was still staring at him when he turned his attention toward him.

“You remember Junhui, right?” Soonyoung asked, beaming.

“Sure!” he smiled, eyes disappearing into half-crescents. “Long time no see.”

“Right,” Junhui agreed with a laugh. “Hi, Seokmin. You got… really tall.”

He laughed, nodding a little bashfully. “How have you been?”

“Not bad. So you’re working with the Sheriff now,” Junhui motioned toward his dark khakis and tan, tucked in dress shirt.

Glancing down as if only conscious of what he was wearing until the older mentioned it, he nodded. “Unofficially, yes. It’s been mostly patrol, though.”

“Well, you can’t expect it to be exciting _all_ the time, right?” Junhui kid, and he grinned.

“While I do prefer some action to keep me awake during the graveyard shift, it usually translates to unfortunate events,” he reflected with a frown.

“You have to work nights?” Junhui wondered.

Seokmin nodded. “As do all rookies. It’s alright, though. Gives me a chance to feel like Batman,” he joked, and they laughed.

At that moment, Seokmin’s phone beeped angrily. Quickly, he checked the ID, then replaced it on his belt. “I really gotta get to work,” he apologized. “But it was nice to see you again, Jun.”

Smiling, the older nodded. “You, too.”

Halfway to the glass door, he turned around. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

Since he was looking right at Junhui, the latter had to assume Seokmin was talking to him. “You will?” He glanced at Soonyoung curiously to see the other shrug.

“Aren’t you going to the meeting at the Jeon House?”

“Oh. Right,” Junhui nodded. “Of course, I’ll see you there.” _Thanks for telling me it was tomorrow, Mom._

“Alright, take care,” Seokmin addressed them both, then left with a wave. Soonyoung accompanied him to the door.

“Doesn’t he look handsome?” Soonyoung sighed dreamily once he came back out.

“Hmm? Oh, sure,” Junhui nodded absently.

“You know, if that meeting had been anywhere else, I would have asked to tag along.”

“Why? So you can ogle at him some more?” he kid. Soonyoung laughed, batting his eyelashes dramatically. “As if stalking him at home isn’t enough. Which worries me that you’ll get caught one of these days.”

Shrugging, he sat down in the other swing. “If he’s the one doing the arrest, I’ll go willingly.”

Rolling his eyes, Junhui gave him a push, causing both of them to swing slightly. “You’re incorrigible.”

The two of them spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out at the house. Minghao picked Junhui up right before dinner time, and they dropped by the library for their mother. That night, Junhui learned that the meeting at the Jeon House wasn’t the only thing that was going on tomorrow.

“Hana wants to go camping for your two-year anniversary?” he repeated, making sure he heard his brother right.

“Yeah, surprised me, too,” Minghao replied as he dove into his plate. “I was afraid she might want some extravagant weekend in the Pyrénées or something, so I’m not complaining.”

“Where are you going then?” Hyejin asked.

“Lake Hardwick.”

“That’s a lot of driving,” Junhui commented. The lake was more than five hours away. If he wanted to make it there by Friday afternoon, he’d have to leave at around nine. For Minghao, it was no problem, but Junhui wasn’t so sure about his girlfriend.

“Gyu and a few others are coming with,” he elaborated. “We’ll take turns if needed.” Kim Mingyu was his best friend since fifth grade. Now they worked together at the garage, much to Dr. and Mrs. Kim’s chagrin, who had hoped that their eldest son would go off to college and follow his father’s footsteps. Mingyu had other plans, though.

“When are you leaving and coming back?” Hyejin wanted to know.

“Around ten tomorrow, and we should be back here late Sunday night.”

“That’s perfect then,” Hyejin commented. “I’m assuming with that many people, you’ll be taking Mingyu’s SUV. You can give your brother and me a ride to town, then hand Jun the keys to the car. The meeting’s in the afternoon, late evening.”

Junhui hadn’t even realized until then that with Minghao gone, he would be the one to drive them through the woods to the house. When it came down to it, he was an okay driver, but it was still the woods. What if he actually did run into forest goblins?

“ _Can_ you drive up the Serenity Hill?” Minghao turned to him. It was hard to determine whether he was kidding, or seriously wondering about the younger’s driving abilities.

“I guess. I’ll just be more careful than usual,” Junhui tried to play it cool.

“Or I could drive,” Hyejin proposed, to which both her sons refused. “Okay, okay,” she relented. While Junhui was an average driver, their mother was not. Let’s just say that after a while, even Minghao had a hard time fixing all the dings on her car.

So it was settled: after Minghao dropped her off at the library, he’d meet up with his friends at the garage and hand Junhui the keys. Later in the afternoon, the younger brother would take the both of them to the Jeon House.

 

The next morning, Minghao drove the CR-V into the lot behind his garage. A couple cars had already parked there, including Mingyu’s navy blue Dodge. The campers were slowly putting their gears into the Dodge when Minghao parked next to them.

“Yo, Jelly Beans! You coming, too?” Mingyu jogged over like the excited puppy that he was. Jelly Beans, the nickname Junhui won after that tub of candy he gave his brother. Somehow, after more than a decade, it still stuck to him.

Shaking his head, Junhui smiled at the tall and lanky goofball. He really couldn’t see him as a doctor, despite how capable Mingyu was. What with his clumsy limbs and knack for breaking everything he touches. Most of the accidents that happened at the garage had to do with him either dropping car parts on his foot or getting his sleeve caught on something and getting stuck, or even simply getting cut by various objects on different parts of his body. If he weren’t Minghao’s best friend, he’d probably be fired the minute he stumbled into the building and tripped over the cords, sending a tower of wheels rolling all over the floor. Which actually happened, believe it or not.

“Hi, Mingyu. I’m just getting the car key,” Junhui told him now.

The two guys and the girl who had been putting their stuff into the Dodge finished, and moved to the side for Minghao to start doing the same. As he popped open the trunk to take out his sleeping bag and various duffles over, Mingyu continued to talk to Junhui.

“Oh, yeah! You’re spending your afternoon in the haunted house! That should be fun.” He sat on the back bumper of his car, right as Minghao carried his things over.

“Gyu,” Minghao called evenly. “Do you mind?”

“Oh, sorry!” he jumped out of the way, banging his head on the open trunk. “Goddamnit!” he hissed, rubbing the spot.

Minghao merely shook his head with a sigh, continuing to stack the bags.

“You okay?” Junhui asked, wincing in sympathy. He was about to reach over to check, but Minghao straightened up. He motioned for Mingyu to lower his head for him to examine. “You’re such a klutz,” he muttered, but the fondness sounded evident.

“I’m fine, I’m fine—Ow!”

“Sorry.” Minghao made sure it didn’t puncture the skin, motion gentle as he parted Mingyu’s hair aside to check the scalp. “Did you bring the first aid kit?”

“Yep!”

“Good.” Satisfied with his inspection, he patted his best friend’s cheeks. “Please try not to kill yourself on this trip.”

Mingyu rolled his eyes. “I’m not dead yet.” He grinned, wiggling in place.

Ever serious, Minghao grunted, hands still firmly clasped around Mingyu’s face. “And it better stay that way or I’m killing you.”

The boys burst into laughter then, falling against each other, and Junhui smiled.

They heard another car drive into the lot, then, and all three glimpsed over.

Hana’s red sports car skidded to a stop hardly ten feet away from them, causing Junhui to flinch and hide behind the other boys. She cut the engine and stepped out.

“Are you sure she knows you’re going camping?” Junhui muttered under his breath as Minghao moved away from the open trunk.

From the corner of his eye, Junhui saw him smile slightly as he kept his gaze on her. She was wearing a pair of short denim shorts with a tank top, new sunglasses, a Coach purse on her shoulder, and _high heels_. Seriously? Not only are they not suited for the trip, how was she planning on hiking from place to place? Unless she was counting on having Minghao carry her or something, in which case he’d rather not think about it.

Apparently the blond who got here early was friends with her, because they began to buzz like wasps. Hana popped open her trunk and they, along with the brown haired guy, moved her things into Mingyu’s car. The owner of the car busied himself with checking the interior of the vehicle.

“Come here,” Minghao took his brother’s elbow and led him back toward the CR-V.

“Aren’t you gonna help her?” he wondered, looking back at them.

“She’s got enough hands to do it,” Minghao answered, waving the issue away. Then he faced him. “Listen, I put the numbers for the tow truck and insurance company in the glove compartment. The roads in the woods are all dirt paths; you never know what might happen.” Junhui gazed at his face, seeing the worry in his eyes. He had been so relaxed at the dinner table last night, but now Junhui could hear the anxiety in his voice as he talked to him.

“Thanks,” Junhui smiled. “Stop worrying, you worrywart.” He punched him playfully.

“Mom said Sheriff Rowan and Lee Seokmin are going to be there, too.” Junhui nodded. “If the meeting drags out, and it gets too dark for you to be comfortable driving, ask one of them to drive you back.”

Rolling his eyes, Junhui laughed and struck a pose with his hands on his hips. “I’m not a kid anymore. It’ll be fine. Don’t worry too much. I can take care of myself!”

Not impressed at all, Minghao remarked, “That’s what you said two seconds before you fell off monkey bars.”

“I’m not five!”

“Could have fooled me.”

Junhui pouted, which really didn’t help the cause.

Minghao laughed, but still instructed, “If something _does_ happen, call me, alright?”

“Yes, yes, yes. I will, not that it will. This is Diamond Creek after all.”

“Right.” With a smirk on his face, he mussed the younger’s hair and laughed softly when Junhui protested.

“Hey!” He chuckled, getting the brown strands out of his face. In that one second, it was like they were little kids again.

The gentle but sharp car horn made them look back. His friends were already in the car, the passenger seat open and waiting for him. Mingyu leaned over to wave enthusiastically at Junhui.

“Good luck, Jun! Don’t forget to bring salt with you, jut in case.”

Laughing, Junhui waved back. “I’ll be sure to send you photos if I see any ghost.”

“Can we go now?” Hana’s annoyed voice filtered through the open window, and Mingyu cut his eyes at her.

Even through the window of the back seat, Junhui could feel Hana’s cold glare toward him for delaying the trip. He held himself back from sticking his tongue out at her in the most childish manner.

“You better go. The queen awaits!” he called out, instead, slightly louder for her to hear him. She turned away, facing the front instead.

Chuckling, Minghao glanced at the car with a head shake.

“Have fun this weekend!” Junhui gave him the thumbs up, and he laughed softly. “I’m sure you and Mingyu are gonna have loads of fun!”

“Thanks!” came the dual answer from both boys.

In a very un-Minghao-like fashion, he leaned over and hugged the younger tightly. Surprised, it took Junhui a second to wrap his arms around him. “Be careful, and stay safe,” he whispered, adding a pat to his shoulder.

Even after the Dodge pulled out of the lot, and Junhui stayed behind for a while in the quiet morning, Minghao’s words still rung out in his ears. What was that about?

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -:  ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

“Hey! Glad you finally made it.” Seokmin waited for Junhui to drive past the gate before he closed it loosely in place again.

“How did you know I’d arrived to let me in?” Junhui wondered once he got out of the car. The dirt ground felt soft under his sneakers. The dried leaves and sticks from previous seasons still littered the large yard.

“I’ve been waiting here for an hour before you finally showed up.”

“Really? I’m sorry, I got—”

Laughing, he cut him off. “I’m just kidding. Sheriff Rowan asked me to grab a few things from the cruiser. I saw the headlights, and I figured it had to be you.”

“Oh.” Well, that certainly made him feel better knowing the younger hadn’t been waiting all this time. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” He walked the few feet with Junhui to the front door. “Go in, and take a left.”

Thanking him again, Junhui made his way inside while Seokmin moved toward the back of the house, his flashlight chasing away the shadows.

At first, the plan had been for Junhui to drive Hyejin up here in the afternoon, but around noon, he got her call telling him that she was going at the same time as Sheriff Rowan. Consequently, he’d only have to come pick her up. Knowing he’d no doubt get confused and lost on the way, he’d left rather early to insure that he’d be here on time. Obviously, it hadn’t been enough. Who knew you could get lost on a one-way road? Mostly, the turns and zig zags on the way made him queasy. Apart from that, it hadn’t been nearly as bad. Plus, he hadn’t run into any forest goblins. But perhaps, it was due to the fact that it had been daytime. Now, though, the sun was beginning to set behind the thick trees.

Quite contrary to what he imagined the inside of the house to look like, it was almost... welcoming. Except for everything being covered in dust and mold, and the light bulb in the foyer blinking in a very annoying manner, it was just like any other home. To the right was the living room, which led through to the dining area and kitchen. To the side, the staircase led to the upper floor and attic.

Junhui took a second to inspect what would need to get done. Just from the first glance, the wallpaper would have to come off for a new layer, the floorboards will either be changed or at the very least, nailed back in place. Now they squeaked with every step he took. Finally, without a doubt, a mop, a duster, and a vacuum will have to work overtime. This was going such a fun summer. Good thing he bought all those facemasks on sale.

“Mom?” he called softly as he followed Seokmin’s instruction and kept to the left.

“In here, honey!”

He found her one room over, sitting at another large table. He hadn’t realized how big this house must be. The entire side of the room faced the outside, a row of windows (mostly covered in grime) extended almost from floor to ceiling. Someone had roughly dusted the table for the time being in order for the papers to be laid out. Overhead, the chandelier glowed in an amber shade, probably due to the encrusted dust.

“Where is everybody?” he wondered as he took a seat next to her.

There were four other cups besides her own on the table, so he had to assume that the other people were still around. Besides, Seokmin had just said he needed to get something from the car for the Sheriff.

“Ms. Seo and Wonwoo just stepped outside for bit, exploring the estate with the Sheriff and Seokmin. They just want to make sure everything is alright around here,” she explained. In front of her sat piles of manila folders and documents. Apparently, half of them were already signed.

“Are you almost done, then?”

“Yes, just a few more things to tie up and then we’ll go.” She sat back, pushing her reading glasses over her hair. “Did you find your way okay?”

“It wasn’t too bad,” he shrugged. “Took me a while to get here, but at least I made it alive.”

Chuckling softly, she nodded. “I’m glad you didn’t get kidnapped by the woodland trolls.”

“Funny, Mom.” But despite the joke, he smiled.

The back door opened and closed, followed my Sheriff’s Rowan’ gruffy voice and Seokmin’s younger response. In the midst of it was also a soft female voice, which he assumed was Ms. Seo. Their footsteps quickly got closer to where they were.

“Oh, shoot!”

“What is it?” He turned around to ask Hyejin. She was looking behind her chair and under her jacket.

“My purse,” she sighed. “I must have left it outside by the basement. I’m gonna go grab it really quick.”

Letting her go outside alone now that it was night didn’t fill him up with joy. “Can’t we get it on our way out to the car? I doubt anyone would steal it.”

“I need my agenda. There’s a note I made about the ID numbers for these forms.” She tapped the top of the half-filled sheets with her pen.

The group was crossing the threshold into the room now, so he nodded. “Fine. I’ll be back.”

As he left, he saw the Sheriff, looking exactly like he did every time he saw him: mid-fifties, light brown hair with silver streaks, clean-shaven, sharp eyes, a pair of Levis, a tucked-in dress shirt, and a corduroy jacket to complete the ensemble. Behind him, he caught a glimpse of Ms. Seo. She was Hyejin’s age, but probably half the size, with dark hair and an impish face. Seokmin was taking notes of something on a notepad. As they resumed from the break, he slipped away unnoticed.

Hyejin said she probably left the purse near the doors that led to the basement, so it had to be somewhere on either side of the house, right? With the night setting in, and the wild growing trees, it was a miracle he made it down the path without twisting his ankle. Fishing his keys out of his jeans, he clicked on the small flashlight attached to the chain and began the search. The faster he got her purse, the faster they would go home.

Old, dried leaves crunched under his soles as he navigated slowly around the house, leaving behind the dim light on the porch. An owl hooted, causing him to shudder at the eerie sound. He’d just made it past a bush of what smelled like rosemary when he reached the back corner of the house. _Guess it was on the other side then_. It only took a few more steps for him to hear it.

The same feral and guttural growl from the house that night. Only louder.

By the time his brain had made the connection, it was already too late. His feet had already taken him around the corner.

Frozen in place, he stared at the glowing silver eyes peering out from the darkness. They threw back the light of the flashlight like reflective tape, now narrowing as the beast glared at him, eyes narrowing into pointed slits. Fear seizing him, Junhui’s trembling fingers let go of the keys. The flashlight rolled over the dried leaves. The beam of light casting across the ground provided no reprieve, as if it too was being swallowed by the oppressing night.

Eyes wide and voice stuck in his throat, Junhui stared in absolute fright at the beast crouching over the torn body of a deer. The poor animal’s breath was labored, its soft eyes seemingly imploring Junhui to do something as its life faded. The salty and rusty smell of blood suddenly became overwhelming, and he realized belatedly that he’d interrupted dinner. The beast rose to its full height, reaching over six feet. Slowly, keeping its eyes locked on the boy’s, it crossed over the body of the dead animal. The movements were caught in the light beam, and Junhui stopped breathing.

This was no wild animal.

With blood dripping from his chin, a few drops landed on his jeans, his shadow loomed over the boy’s. Continuing to advance toward him, he wiped the blood away from his face with the back of his hand. Another growl escaped through the razor sharp teeth.

The sound, so loud and sharp, startled Junhui out of the fear-induced stupor. Finally able to feel his legs, he took off. In his frantic attempt of escape, he tripped over the roots and bushes covering the path several times, sending him sprawling on the dirt. Whimpers of panic and pain slipped past his slips, but he picked him up and ran. By some miracle, the beast didn’t catch him before he reached the porch and threw himself inside. He slammed the door behind him. Resting his forehead on the wood, he breathed in all the air his lungs could handle, his heart going hundreds of miles an hour, the blood pumping loudly in his ears.

He wasn’t sure how long he stood there until his name was called.

“Junhui?”

Hearing his mother’s voice, he jumped, hand clutching at his shirt in some poor attempt to prevent his heart from bursting out of his chest. Seeing her worried expression, he rushed over, the adrenaline still pumping in his system. He caught up with her just outside the doorway of the meeting room.

“Mom, we need to leave,” Junhui panted, trying to keep his voice down in order to not create a scene with the people inside.

“What’s going on? Why are you—” she broke off her sentence as she took him to the side to look at him closer. “What happened to you? Are you hurt—”

“There’s something in the back of the house. We need to leave. Right now. It caught a deer and he was eating it when I...” Junhui took in more oxygen. “It wasn’t a coyote, like Hao thought... It looked like a person, but it was eating... the deer. And I think it was gonna eat me, too, but I ran and—”

“Slow down, I don’t understand anything you’re saying. What does Minghao have to do... You thought something was going to eat you?”

“Mrs. Wen.”

Both their heads snapped up in direction of the spoken voice. A young man about as old as Minghao was walking across the meeting room, which had grown completely quiet now that Junhui was paying attention. In his hand were Hyejin’s purse and the lanyard with Junhui’s keys attached.

“I believe these belong to you,” he said in the same enthralling voice, handing her the bag and keys.

Hyejin, still a little out of it from her son’s outburst, accepted them with a confused expression. “Thank you, Wonwoo.”

“There was also a coyote sniffling around,” he turned his gaze on the younger boy. “Which is what I believe your son saw.”

As his eyes met Junhui’s, the latter blanched, and his whole body began to shake. It might have been dark and he was beside himself with terror, but he knew what he saw. He saw _him_.

Only different.

His jeans were blood-free now, as well as the blue plaid shirt he wore over a gray tee, that replaced the dark top from earlier. And his eyes were now warm brown, and breathtaking. His teeth, when he smiled at Hyejin’s agreement about the coyote assessment, were white and straight, no fangs in view. In any other setting, he would have taken Junhui’s breath away, but tonight that phrase had a whole other meaning.

“You changed clothes.” The accusation slipped out without his permission, and Junhui winced.

Wonwoo seemed amused, a brow arched. “I had to remove the dead deer from the path. I couldn’t return inside all bloody, could I?”

Sulking, Junhui tried his best not to stomp his foot in frustration. _I’m not crazy. I know what I saw. Right?_

“Let me get this quickly done, and we can go home, okay?” Hyejin’s squeezed the boy’s hand, pulling him out of it.

Junhui’s mouth opened to respond, when the stranger—Wonwoo—cut in. While he talked with Hyejin, his eyes never left the younger’s face. “Junhui looks a little pale, Mrs. Wen. Perhaps you’d like to stay for dinner?”

“No!” he screamed before he could help it. He clasped his hands over his mouth.

“Junhui!” Hyejin chastised. Junhui knew she saw it as rude, but he saw it as not ending up as this guy’s next meal.

“It’s alright, Mrs. Wen,” Wonwoo placated with a smirk, the row of perfect teeth free of dripping blood and fangs mocking the terrified boy. “Junhui’s probably just shaken up from the experience.”

Junhui gulped, plastering himself against the wall.

“I’ll be quick, okay?” Hyejin cupped his cheek and smiled slightly, before leading Wonwoo back inside to sign the stupid papers, along with Sheriff Rowan (who seemed to be trying to understand the commotion was about) and Ms. Seo. The latter didn’t say anything, although her attention lingered on Junhui and Wonwoo a little too long to appear natural. Junhui shook his head, arms wrapped around his middle. He stayed out in the adjacent room, trying to compose himself. Apparently, Seokmin wasn’t needed because he came up next to him.

“Jun? Are you alright?” he asked gently.

“Yeah, yeah. Um, I’m fine.” _Breathe._ _It’s gonna be okay._

“What was _that_ about earlier?” Seokmin wondered, quickly glancing back into the meeting room.

His mouth opened, ready to tell it exactly like it happened. But then something stopped him. Probably the guy still glaring at him with those intense sharp eyes from across the room. Junhui turned his back to him, straightening out his thoughts. “My mom forgot her purse outside, so I went to find it. I heard something in the trees, and I guess it turned out to be a coyote. Anyway, I ran back inside. Then he—Wonwoo—found her bag and my keys and returned them.”

“That’s it?” Seokmin wondered.

“Yeah...” he risked a glance at him. Seokmin didn’t look very convinced. “I-is there something wrong?”

“I’m not sure, but you were a lot more upset about it than you’re saying now.”

“Well...” he mumbled. “I was scared.”

Seokmin watched him for a second before deciding, “I should go take a look around and—”

“No,” he refused, grabbing onto his friend’s arm. “He said it was gone, anyway.” Sighing, he added, “I just want to go home.” Moving past Seokmin, he leaned back on the old table against the wall, trying to determine if the meeting would conclude soon. He watched Hyejin’s back, hearing the low chatter, but then something made him look up. It was like a magnet pulling him, until he met his stare and Junhui couldn’t move away. Trapped. Wonwoo studied him, his sharp eyes pinning the boy in place. The connection didn’t break until Seokmin walked in between Wonwoo’s gaze and his.

“Do you want me to drive you and your mom back?”

Blinking, Junhui glanced up at him. “What?”

He seemed to be taken aback slightly, as if nervous of upsetting Junhui. “It wouldn’t be safe for you to drive, especially at night through the dirt roads. You’re still as white as a sheet.”

Minghao’s last words before he left came to mind. “What about Sheriff Rowan?”

“He’ll be fine with it. After all,” Seokmin grinned, “This does concern the safety of two citizens.”

Conjuring up a small smile, Junhui nodded at his offer. “Okay.”

Inside the meeting room, it sounded like they were finishing up as well. “Let me just tell him, then I’ll meet you and your mom by the car.”

Seokmin slipped away inside, and Junhui looked after him. Hyejin was shaking Ms. Seo’s hand, and Sheriff Rowan nodded at whatever Seokmin discussed with him. Junhui made an effort not to fall into Wonwoo’s stare again. As Hyejin grabbed her bag and jacket, Junhui began to walk out into the foyer.

However, as he continued down the hallway to the door, he caught himself.

Waiting there was _him_.

Junhui wanted to back away, to turn around, to run and scream. To do _something_.

Instead, he stood there like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. How had Wonwoo gotten here so fast, and without the younger even seeing him? Junhui could have sworn he had been in there with the others when he made his way out.

Eyes as round as saucers, Junhui stared as Wonwoo pushed himself away from the crumbling wall and made his way toward him. 

“Don’t fret,” he said, a hint of amusement underlying the words. “As a rule, I don’t attack humans.” Slowly, he circled around the boy.

The panic quickly built in him as Wonwoo practically admitted to being the monster he had seen outside. As he came around his side, he leaned in. Suddenly, Junhui found his shoulder brushing against the sleeve of the other’s shirt, and the fear rose even higher than he thought possible. They were too close. His heart was going to give out and he’ll die of a heart attack at the age of twenty-two.

Soft as a feather, Wonwoo whispered against his ear, “But like every rule, there are exceptions.”

A shiver ran through him, and Junhui bit down on his bottom lip to keep the whimper from escaping. Even though he kept his body rigid and his eyes strained to the front, he could feel the heat of his gaze as Wonwoo leisurely strode to face him. Scared like nothing before, Junhui made himself meet his eyes.

“You know how to keep a secret, don’t you, Junhui?” He arched a brow, a vicious grin tugged the corners of his lips as he leaned close to the younger’s face. “Very unpleasant things tend to befall those who can’t hold their tongue. I can promise you that.”

His blood ran cold as the subtle threat sunk in. It was so difficult to match up the beautiful face and the charming voice that had just strung those horrific words together. The threat seemed to be even more frightening when he spoke that way.

“Understood?”

Unable to look away, Junhui nodded frantically.

“Very good.” His face broke out into the most beautiful smile, and Junhui felt so conflicted. “Silence is golden, darling,” Wonwoo said lightly, the satisfaction of the agreement gleamed in his cold eyes.

“Junhui?” They both reacted to Hyejin’s voice coming from the other room.

“Have a wonderful evening, Junhui,” he offered as he pulled away. “I shall see you Monday morning.” The echo of his deep voice hung in the air.

Before the chill down Junhui’s back could even melt away, Wonwoo had vanished down the hall.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WONWOO!!! lol. i hope this chapter was more interesting than the last ٩(^ᴗ^)۶ Poor Junnie just wants to go home 😅
> 
> Oh, and Wonu's a couple years older than Jun in this. For... plot conveniences later on lol
> 
> So I'm thinking of posting every Thursday from now on, unless there's a really short chapter, then i'll double post. But yeah! I hope you guys enjoyed and come back next time! 😊
> 
> Have a wonderful day/evening!  
> xoxoxo


	3. The Gossip Brigade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun comes to realize that maybe he and wonwoo aren't so different after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, hope your week is going well!
> 
> I'm sorry that this chapter is more on the mellow side, but it's needed for exposition, and it sets up stuff for later on in the story. If it comes out a little boring... i'm sorry! T_T 
> 
> On the plus side, we get to meet Hannie! Yay!!! ٩(^ᴗ^)۶
> 
> -

 

 

For the ride home, Junhui was grateful that Hyejin took the front seat next to Seokmin. His thoughts spun around a thousand miles an hour, trying to make sense of the last half hour. As the car slowly picked up speed down the hill, and Seokmin began to make small talk with Hyejin, Junhui turned his head toward the window.

The darkness felt overwhelming as the trees flew past them, barely having any shape. The conversation in the front grew into a low buzzing sound, blending in with the rocking motion of the car rolling over the dirt roads as he tried to clear his mind. But even when Junhui closed his eyes, he saw _his_. Flashes of them in the shadows and in the foyer. At both instances, they had glowed with such an inhuman intensity that it’d been impossible to look away. Then came the echo of Wonwoo’s threat. Just revisiting the memory now caused his heart to pound. Junhui had no idea what he was going to do to get out of this mess.

With good reason, he had no doubt Wonwoo would act on his warning. So telling Hyejin the truth was out of the question. He couldn’t risk anyone knowing the truth. Somehow, over the next couple days, he will have to think up of something in order to get out of this pickle without involving any ounce of truth whatsoever. Maybe he could pretend to be sick.

Or fake his own death.

_That’s a bit extreme, Jun._

Sighing quietly, he leaned into the seat, feeling the tense muscles rigidly stretching him like strings on a violin bow.

By the time Seokmin turned the car into the Wen driveway, Sheriff Rowan’s cruiser was already parked in front of the house.With all the excitement (and personal nervous breakdown), Junhui had practically forgotten that if Seokmin drove them home, the young deputy wouldn’t have any other choice but walking to his house. Thankfully, the planning had been left to the professionals. After a quick thanks and wave, mother and son went inside. Shortly afterward, the cruiser pulled out of the lot and its headlights faded with the distance.

Hyejin still believed her son’s distracted behavior was due to his near encounter with one of nature’s finest, which was true to a certain degree, only it wasn’t an animal at all. After she practically force fed him dinner, she sent him to bed. At hardly past 9:30, though, his brain still remained too worked up to shut down quite yet.

As Junhui laid in bed staring at the ceiling, he began to let his thoughts wander some more. In all honesty, he had to ask himself why it was so difficult for him to accept what he had seen, why, in a way, he was in denial that it could have been real. That Jeon Wonwoo could have somehow morphed from beast to man.

_Like_ m _agic_.

Sighing, he turned to his side and looked out through the half-open window. The air stood still. Apart from the crickets singing quietly in the bushes outside, everything was very quiet.

While shocking and unexpected, Junhui should be able to accept Wonwoo’s supernatural origin as something… well, normal. After all, Junhui thought, he wouldn’t even have lived past his twelfth birthday without magic and more.

For a long time now, he had come to believe in the paranormal, getting used to phenomena that logic and sciences couldn’t explain. He had no difficulty believing that the woods were potentially haunted, that they could house numerous creatures that man has never seen or encountered. But everything he thought he believed in was just that: a belief. Apart from what happened to him years ago, he have never seen anything supernatural or mythical with his own eyes. Much less come into such close proximity with someone from that realm.

Could he really blame Wonwoo for threatening him tonight? If it could have gone Wonwoo’s way, he wouldn’t have let some unknown guy catch him in the first place.

Fear was funny in that regard. Being one of the most basic defense mechanisms for any creature, there really was no telling the consequences once it got triggered. Even the nicest of all animals would still bite and claw whenever its life was put in danger. Better safe than sorry, as they say.

Perhaps Wonwoo really didn’t mean any harm. He simply wanted to protect himself. But the facts remained that Junhui will soon be spending his days at the Jeon home with him, isolated from the rest of the world. If Junhui weren’t careful and accidentally treaded on Wonwoo’s defense line, he had no doubt he’d end up just like that deer.

Shivering, Junhui curled up under the blanket.

Keeping what he saw to himself was easy enough, though. By default, Junhui wasn’t unfamiliar with holding on to life-altering secrets.

 

Something in the middle of the night woke him up, but by the time Junhui blinked away the grogginess, whatever the cause had already faded away. Getting up, he decided to get a glass of water and check downstairs, thinking it might have been the wind blowing through a window they’d forgotten to close before bed.

As he neared the kitchen, the sound of rolling drawers and paper rustling became more apparent. He grabbed a water bottle from the counter and moved toward Hyejin’s study.

The door left ajar let the yellow light pour out into the hall, almost too brightly in contrast to the unlit rest of the house. Junhui squinted slightly. Soft and familiar mutterings accompanied the shuffling of documents and binder clips clicking open and close.

“Mom?” he cracked the door further and peeked inside, rubbing at his eyes.

“Oh!” she started, “Junnie, what are you doing up?”

Stepping into the cluttered room, he answered as he took in the piles of boxes and files. “I was about to ask you the same thing.” From what he could tell, these came from storage. The ones from the time she still worked at the museum. He swallowed, averting his gaze.

Hyejin put down the thick binder and leaned against the edge of her desk. “With taking care of the Jeon House being released back to its proper owner, I almost forgot I had an interview with Mrs. Dennis in the morning,” she explained. The name sounded familiar to him, but once she went on, he recalled the person. “Yabbay has an open position next month and they’ve contacted me to see if I was willing to come back.”

His eyes widened, feeling overjoyed at the news. “You mean you’re getting your job back at the museum?”

Smiling sadly, she shook her head. “Not exactly, honey. With what happened in the past, it’ll take a long time before I’ll be given the liberties and resources I used to.” Junhui felt his shoulders slumping, his elation deflating like a balloon.

“I see.” He set his water bottle down and rubbed at his arm absentmindedly. “So what would you be doing?”

“If the interview goes well and they offer me another chance, I’ll be working at the information desks, mostly, and doing various tasks under Marilyn.”

He frowned. “So what, you’re gonna have to deal with school field trips and get yelled at by angry visitors?”

“Junhui,” she spoke gently.

“No, really. You used to be one of the department heads, and now they’re offering you a job as a desk clerk! It’s not...” He sighed, sinking into the nearest armchair and pulling his knees to his chest. “It’s not fair,” he mumbled out.

“At least they’re giving me a chance, albeit one not as prestigious as my previous position, but we’ve got to start somewhere, don’t we?”

He shifted around, grabbing the decorative pillow to hug. “I suppose so.” They stayed quiet for a moment before she resumed her organization. He drew patterns on the fabric with his fingertip. “When’s the interview?”

“Tomorrow morning at the library.”

Startled at the abruptness, he glanced up at her. “Wow. Okay. So I guess I’ll drop you off, then head to the mercantile,” he concluded.

Eventually, Junhui went back to bed, closing the door behind him as he left. Even through the wood and plaster, he could still hear Hyejin trying to piece back the career she once had and lost because of him.

 

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” Junhui exclaimed with a groan as a pick-up truck merged into the lane ahead of them, pulling with it a horse trailer.

They were going uphill, but because of it, all the cars behind it, theirs included, had to hit the breaks to avoid running straight into the horses. To make matters worse, the road had turned into one lane, so he couldn’t even escape.

“It’s okay,” Hyejin assured him, glancing at the clock on the dashboard. “We’ve got time.”

“That’s up for debate,” he muttered, knowing that unless the trailer exited soon, they’d be stuck behind it going at twenty-five miles an hour. “I should’ve taken the highway.”

“The highway would be backed up by morning traffic as well,” she reminded him. “But I suppose none of them would be crawling along the road as we are now.”

Junhui wasn’t frustrated with the driver for driving so slowly; he understood that the horses would be hurt if he went too fast. What he would have liked him to do was to be more considerate. Seeing the long tail of cars, he should move off the road, let them all pass by, then resume his slower pace.

Mercilessly, the clock ticked on. Five minutes until the interview appointment. At this rate, they wouldn’t make it into town until 10 o’clock. If Junhui weren’t busy keeping his eyes on the road, he’d have thrown a tantrum out of sheer frustration.

One car ahead, the driver decided to take his chances. He moved into the opposite lane and zoomed past the trailer before merging back. Junhui stared with his mouth agape. Not a minute passed before the car in front of them did the same. The two cars were now long gone down the stretch of road. Junhui checked the time again. Three minutes.

His hands were shaking, and his heart rate picked up, but he gripped the steering wheel tighter. Before he knew what he was doing, he looked into the mirrors to check for incoming cars. The opposite lane looked empty as well. The CR-V veered to the left slightly, the wheels bumping into the road markers. Suddenly, Hyejin yanked the wheel back.

“Junhui!”

Right then, a black car rushed past them, picking up speed as it rolled downhill.

_We could have crashed._

The adrenaline pumping through his veins made his limbs shake even more. He tried to breathe to calm down, imploring his erratic heartbeat to slow down before he died from cardiac arrest.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Hyejin demanded, frantic. “Do you not have any idea how dangerous that was?” Her voice was shaking as well, and for once that morning, Junhui was grateful for the slow pace of traffic.

“I was just…” He swallowed, sheepish. “The road was empty,” he answered lamely.

“It _looked_ empty, Junhui. Driving is bad enough when you’re going one direction, don’t tempt fate by trying to go into the other.”

“I’m… I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t… think.”

She sighed, head falling back against the seat as she closed her eyes. Gently, she patted his head. “It’s going to be okay, Junnie.”

The rest of the ride was very quiet as each of them tried to compose their thoughts. In hindsight, it was extremely stupid. But at the time, it seemed like a good idea after the first two cars did it and came out fine.

As Junhui turned into the parking lot, he noticed the blue sedan before its owner. Marilyn Dennis was waiting impatiently on top of the steps leading to the library, her black pump tapping rhythmically on the cement. They were ten minutes late, and from the looks she was giving Hyejin as the latter got out of the car, Marilyn Dennis did not appreciate it.

“You should head out to _Angel Wings’_ before you’re late as well,” Hyejin told him, grabbing her purse and various folders.

“Let me know how it goes,” he smiled, and she nodded. “Good luck!”

“Thanks.”

The engine still running, his hand settled on the gear shift to back out, but he didn’t quite yet. He let the car stall as he watched after his mother half-running the few yards until she reached the steps. He saw the way she mustered a bright smile for the sake of the interview, the way she pretended this was a casual meeting rather than one where she will be at the mercy of Marilyn Dennis. The woman who used to be working _for_ his mother. Now everything was upside down.

The morning was still. Quiet. The day hadn’t started for most of the town yet, so their voices carried rather easily, and Junhui could make out everything despite the rumbling of the engine.

“I’m so sorry I’m late,” Hyejin apologized, digging out the keys to the building. “I hope you haven’t been waiting long.”

“Your interview was supposed to start twelve minutes ago, Hyejin,” Mrs. Dennis informed her. “I understand that you might dislike me enough to make me wait on you, but do you not take this seriously enough to arrive on time? I have three other appointments after this.” Sighing heavily, she shifted her handbag, shaking her blond curls off her shoulder.

Watching the two women, Junhui reflected on the scene. Marilyn Dennis, now holding one of the highest positions at the museum, wore an expensive and classy gray skirt suit with high heels. Her hair was perfect, not one strand out of place. Her posture straight, in control, condescending. Contrasting that with Wen Hyejin in her casual black trousers and jacket. Her fair hair was starting to fall apart from the pins, her cheeks flushed, clutching onto folders, onto the chance to start over.

“I apologize,” Hyejin replied to Mrs. Dennis. “I did not mean to make you wait, in fact I left the house a half hour before our meeting. I just didn’t think a horse trailer would make it impossible to go faster than twenty-five miles an hour on a one-way road.”

Marilyn Dennis seemed to be losing patience, heaving another sigh. “Well, it’s hardly past eight, the road going the opposite direction must still have been empty. For your sake, as well as the other people I’m meeting with today, you could’ve taken some risk.” She stood back to give Hyejin a sneer. “After all, you shouldn’t be unfamiliar with taking risks when you want something.”

That was a low hit, and she knew it.

Junhui’s stomach dropped. He gnawed at his lip worriedly, desperate to hide, but too anxious to leave his mother on her own.

Unfazed, though, Hyejin straightened her shoulders. “Yes, I could’ve risked it, as I did ten years ago. But back then it had been a sacrifice I was willing to take for my child. The gain outweighed the loss. This job, now as well as back then, no matter how important it is to me, will never be worth more than my children. If I had driven over to the other lane, and a car coming down had crashed into me, would this job even matter anymore? Would Yabbay compensate Minghao and Junhui for the death of their mother? Would you or your other appointments be willing to do something for them, knowing I had tried to go against traffic for a chance to get here on time?”

Speechless, Marilyn Dennis stood immobile while Hyejin pushed open the now unlocked door to the library. “If you still wish to proceed with the interview,” she said, motioning toward the entrance.

Apparently snapping out of it, Marilyn Dennis nodded stiffly and moved inside. Before Hyejin followed in after her, she looked back toward the car and gave her son a gentle smile. The boy reciprocated the gesture, then backed out of the space as she went in for the interview.

Junhui arrived at the parking lot of the mercantile shop to see Yoon Jeonghan take out some empty boxes to the dumpsters. The older waited for him to park before coming over, shielding his eyes from the morning sun with a hand.

“Decided to sleep in today?” he asked.

The incident with Marilyn Dennis and his mother this morning still left a bitter taste in his mouth, and Junhui didn’t notice the playfulness in Jeonghan’s voice. “I’m sorry, traffic was worse than usual. I’ll make it up today, I promise,” he apologized quickly.

Jeonghan wrinkled his nose and shook his head. “Kid, I was just teasing. For you to be here in the first place is a blessing.” That was definitely the first time anyone had ever described his presence as a blessing. “I sure wouldn’t show up if I had a choice. Damn dictatorship,” the blond grumbled under his breath.

Junhui smiled sympathetically as they went inside.

Jeonghan was the younger of two siblings. His sister had moved up North last year to continue graduate schooling. As teenage rebellions went, Jeonghan certainly took it farther than anyone would ever think possible. Nearing thirty years old, he still looked forward to spite his mother.

Of course, the things he did were harmless, and it wasn’t like Mrs. Yoon could do anything about them anymore. Such as Jeonghan switching from a biology major to music in college; that had turned the mercantile shop into a war zone for a while. Then came his decision to openly date two of his best friends, and try out _in vitro_ fertilization. Mrs. Yoon had been so livid, she almost disowned her son. But like all good mothers (and Junhui really did believe her to be a good mom despite her vices), when Seungcheol’s ice cream shop fell into financial trouble and Jisoo got laid off due to school cutbacks, in addition to the baby being born, the Yoon Cold War thawed overnight, almost. Mrs. Yoon offered Seungcheol a loan to help with the shop, and she managed to connect Jisoo with a number of families as a private guitar instructor.

Now the older boys lived with their little bundle of joy. Violet was nearing two years old and sometimes came to the shop with Jeonghan. Although the latter’s rebellion had mostly ebbed away, he still took pleasure in antagonizing his mother with the way he looked and dressed. This week seemed to be his hair. He had bleached it from its brown roots to blond strands with purple highlights. His clothes were appropriate for his age, if only a little too expensive for Mrs. Yoon’ tastes.

It was often the topic of conversation in the store when older ladies came in to shop. Or rather, it was the topic she’d choose most often to complain about. All bounced off of Jeonghan without leaving a scratch. Junhui always admired how he could go on through the day hearing all those mean remarks about him, yet carry on as if nothing had been said at all. His mother wasn’t known for her discretion. In fact, prying Junhui’s life open while he worked was among her favorite past-time activities.

“Your mom can’t manage this whole store by herself,” Junhui commented now.

Jeonghan shrugged. “Eh. If she saved up her energy instead of spending it feeding the gossip mill, she could.” Often Junhui wondered if the source of Jeonghan’s behavior was a direct result of his scandal-hungry mother.

The missus was ringing a customer when Junhui approached the front of the store. Despite its “small town” exterior, the interior was bright and spacious. And cold. Till this day, he wasn’t sure if it had more to do with the air conditioner or the glances he received from the owner and her regulars.

“Thank you, have a nice day!” Mrs. Yoon wished the leaving customer.

“Good morning, ma’am,” he said.

She turned to acknowledge his presence, then cut her eyes to the clock. “8:30, I see,” shecommented. “Will you stay an extra fifteen minutes then?”

His face felt warm, and he looked down, ready to nod his acquiescence, but Jeonghan called out with a warning in his voice. “Mom. You don’t pay him, and he doesn’t work for you. He’s here willingly, god knows why, on his own time.”

As Jeonghan spoke, Mrs. Yoon fixed the younger with her glare, holding his. She didn’t say anything, but they both knew what she was thinking: _Wen Junhui is simply paying his debt._ For what felt like much too long, she broke eye contact and gave him today’s to-do list. Grateful to be dismissed, Junhui bowed and disappeared among the shelves, grabbing his apron along the way.

As the morning passed, more people came and went. Some stayed a little longer to discuss the current events and entertained themselves with the latest news. Junhui had gone from restocking shelves, to sticking price tags on the new items. By the time lunch came around, he’d wished about thirty times that he had brought his earphones along. One could only stand hearing scandals from the Gossip Brigade for so long before going insane.

“Once they heard what sounded like a baby crying, they barged into her room,” Mrs. Logan narrated, “And sure enough, the girl was lying in bed, blood everywhere, with a baby. The umbilical cord was still attached.”

“Oh, my...!” the group of women reacted disapprovingly, yet with a hint of satisfaction at the unfortunate event that befell that poor girl.

“How could her parents not have noticed it sooner?” one asked.

“Sasha had always been on the heavy side,” another pointed out. “Besides, with divorced parents who would rather shove her off to the other person every other weekend rather than spend time with her...”

“Did she explain herself?” Barbara Hopkins asked.

“She claimed she didn’t realize she was pregnant,” Mrs. Logan replied, which got another round of disapprovals.

“Had she not been to school?” Kang Sujin demanded hotly. “What are they teaching these kids nowadays?”

“Apparently,” Mrs. Logan picked up the gory details of poor Sasha. “She and one of her friends simply wanted to try it.”

“That little twit!” Kang Sujin exclaimed with genuine censure. Not from an older person scolding a child, but with disdain offered to someone she deemed unfit to live in her town.

“Who is the father then?” Mrs. Yoon wanted to know.

Mrs. Logan shrugged. “She wouldn’t say.”

“And the boy isn’t coming forward?” Eleanor Moor asked as if the kid committed a crime, which in her eyes, it might as well have been. “Does he even know?”

“I’m sure he does, he’s just too much of a coward to accept what he did,” Mrs. Yoon condemned. “A bunch of sex-addicts and criminals this generation is breeding.”

The other ladies agreed in unison. The ironic part of this whole conversation was that they forgot about their own kids. The ones part of the sex-addicted and crime-oriented generation they regularly bashed. They seemed to forget all too soon the scandal that erupted in the Kang home when Kang Bora ran away with some guy almost twice her age last summer. Or Vince Moor’s arrest for possession. And every time something like that happened, the ones not involved would gather to talk behind the back of their supposedly friend.

Maybe it was very wrong of him, but Junhui couldn’t help but feel relieved that they were talking about Sasha and her unexpected delivery, instead of about him and his family. At the moment, at least.

The moment didn’t last very long, unfortunately. When Junhui thought that he would make it a day at the mercantile shop without having the Brigade bring up his name in its conversation, it happened. He was in the back room when Mr. Sanders walked in the door. He was also nicknamed Mr. Diamond Creek. Whether he actually came from the family with the most history in Diamond Creek or not, he sure acted like Diamond Creek was his, and everyone else just happened to be living in symbiosis with him. Needless to say, he didn’t like _people_ very much. And that included the very few family members who came to visit during the holidays.

“It’s a real circus out there!” he shouted as he came into the doors. The heat must have been still going as he wiped the sweat from his brow and relaxed in the cooler air. “I told Thomas to take over while I took a stroll over here.”

Mrs. Yoon shook her head. “When are you going to finally install an air conditioning unit in that store? One day, all of that lumber is going to catch fire and you’ll wonder why.”

He waved her off, finding a chair and settling into it. “That air unit is nothing but trouble,” he pointed upward. “It’s noisy and it makes people stay in my store for far too long, chattering about their yard projects and home repairs, and then kids screech for this and that. Bah!” he grumbled. “When they realize that the inside of the store is just as hot as outside, they’ll quickly make their purchase and scram!”

“But if they stayed longer, you'd make more money,” Jeonghan pointed out, offering him a glass of water.

“It’s not worth the noise!” He accepted the water.

Shaking his head and rolling his eyes, Jeonghan put his ear bud back into place and wandered off checking his to-do list.

“Would you look at that!” He glared at Jeonghan. “All this technology is going to turn them all deaf.”

“I can still hear you, Mr. Sanders,” Jeonghan said. “We’re not all idiots.”

“Hmph! That remains to be seen.” Ignoring him, Jeonghan went back to work. “Gyeongja,” he turned to Mrs. Yoon, “did you hear about that Jeon boy restoring the old house?”

Junhui’s hand froze on the box of cans he was about to unload. 

Mrs. Yoon looked up from her accounting book. “Yes, I did.”

The old man grumbled some more. “I wish he’d take his bad luck and leave this town alone.”

“Bad luck?” she repeated, seemingly confused.

“Nothing bad happened to Diamond Creek until the first Jeon settled in. First the murders that bloodied the town, then came that tragedy with the Wens and Parks. Better get ready for another episode, I’m telling you. The Jeons are nothing but trouble!”

Junhui wanted to disappear down the rabbit hole and just lay dormant until fall.

“I suppose you’re right,” Mrs. Yoon mused. “What I want to know, though, is what he’s doing here after all these years without so much as a peep from any of them.”

“Didn’t he say it was about time he restored that old house?”

“What he says and what he intends are two different things,” she remarked. “And intent is everything.”

The whole store became very quiet at that moment. Only the buzzing from the lights and the rumbling of vents made any sound. Gradually, as to not make it too obvious that he had stopped working to listen in to their conversation, Junhui began to cut open the boxes and move them out so he could stack the cans on the nearby shelves. He was grateful these were stored in the back of the store so he could still be invisible to them.

“Good afternoon, Sherry!” Mrs. Yoon’ voice got back its usual perkiness as she greeted the newly arrived customer.

“Hello, Gyeongja! Mr. Sanders, how are you doing?”

“Fine, nothing much to report,” he grumbled. “Well, I’ll let you get back to work then.” He was about to go when Sherry urged in a hushed tone for him to sit back then. “Why, what’s important?” he demanded.

“So I was on my way here,” Sherry began her tale, “when I ran into Seo Olivia. The woman looks so frail, I really do wonder how she can carry herself during the storm seasons—”

“Yes, yes,” Mrs. Yoon moved the conversation along impatiently. “What happened?”

“Oh, right. After the usual ‘how are you’s’ and responses, I asked her about her nephew and his renovation plans.” Again, Junhui listened closely. “I mean, have either of you ever heard her having any family?” she laughed nervously. “Of course she must have _some_ family, but what I meant is that she’s never mentioned them, much less being related to that awful history.”

“Olivia is not the kind of woman going around talking about herself,” Mr. Sanders said, “And if I had such a terrible side of the family, I wouldn’t go around bragging about it!”

“Well, yes,” Sherry seemed a little taken aback by his response. Junhui supposed she expected him to agree with her that Ms. Seo was strange and deserved to be gossiped about.

“Get on with it, Sherry!” he urged irritably.

She startled slightly, but continued, nonetheless. “Olivia didn’t give me much detail about his plans, other than he didn’t want the family’s estate to remain desolate any longer. Then I asked her what he was doing for a living, that maybe he was into construction and the whole affair wouldn’t seem so odd.”

“And?” Mrs. Yoon prompted. Discreetly, Junhui crawled out of the aisle to see the group.

Mrs. Yoon was leaning over the counter, totally inthralled in the story, her short dark hair falling over her shoulders. Mr. Sanders had on his everyday frown as he waited for whatever Sherry had to say, and Sherry was biting on her bottom lip. She was about Hyejin age, with curly auburn hair. Junhui had seen her around town a few times, but he didn’t know her per se. She seemed to be thinking back on the encounter, chewing over the conversation with a hint of nervousness.

“Seo Olivia gave me the most peculiar look,” she recalled slowly, “then said that he was on a mission.”

“A mission?” Mr. Sanders echoed.

Sherry nodded. “Then as if realizing that she had said too much, she excused herself and left in a hurry.”

“That’s all she said? I don’t see what’s all the hubbub was for then. What that has to do with anything?”

“Yes, well,” Sherry quickly replied, afraid of his temperament. “But it was a strange reaction, right?” Turning to Mrs. Yoon, Sherry asked, “What do you think, Gyeongja?”

“Maybe he didn’t want people to know about it and she accidentally let it slip.” Both Sherry and Junhui were surprised by her answer. They expected it to be more scandal-worthy rather than so _normal_.

“Well,” Mr. Sanders stood up again. “Thank you for that wonderful story,” he said with sarcasm. “But I must get back to my shop. Let’s hope all those darn boys got what they needed and took their own kids home.” He shuffled out of the store, glowering at Mother Nature.

With that, Junhui continued his work. By the counter, Sherry got her order taken care of, and Mrs. Yoon was ringing her up.

“What if the reason for his visit is more than what he claims?” Mrs. Yoon asked suddenly.

“What do you mean?”

“Could it be that he’s investigating what happened in that house? Remember that it is officially still an unsolved case.”

“But to call it a mission?” Sherry sounded skeptical. “I’m not saying that it wouldn’t be possible, but cases go cold regularly. Do you think he’s some kind of private investigator? Is it really worthy of being reopened after so many years? Especially considering it’s about his own family?”

“The murders could just be one of the reasons he’s here.”

“What other reasons are there?”

“Something Mr. Sanders said earlier: things went awry whenever a Jeon was involved. Don’t you remember what happened ten years ago?”

“You mean...”

There was a short silence before they continued. It didn’t take a genius to realize they were referring to what happened between Junhui’s family and the Parks. Their voices were barely audible after that. Junhui had to really strain to hear what they said next.

“That had been on the murders’ 70th anniversary. It can’t be only a coincidence.”

Sherry’s voice shook as she asked, “Do you think something similar is going to happen again? Now that there’s a walking and breathing Jeon.”

“I don’t know,” her friend replied. “But we’re going to have to keep an eye on him.” She paused. “And on _him._ Who knows what can happen up in that house.”

Junhui’s heartbeat was erratic. The ‘we’ she referred to included not just her and Sherry, but the whole town. Whether he wanted to or not, Junhui had been grouped together with Jeon Wonwoo as unofficial public enemies. His secret was Junhui’s own to keep if the boy wanted to stay in Diamond Creek.

 

“Mom, what do you think of the Jeons?”

The drive home proved much less tense and slow. Hyejin had already told him about the interview, and that Marilyn Dennis had agreed to giving her the position at the museum. Junhui was happy, if not still miffed slightly, for her. But he couldn’t concentrate fully on the conversation. He was now more worried about his job helping Wonwoo, and what people were going to think, on top of that terrible secret Wonwoo made him keep.

Looking over to him, she waited a heartbeat before saying, “What makes you ask that?”

Junhui shrugged. “The Gossip Brigade had a meeting, and...” She groaned and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know, I know.” They knew better than to listen to them, but this time was different. “They think the Jeons bring bad fortune to Diamond Creek.”

“Really.”

“According to Mr. Sanders, the town was pretty close to perfection until the first Jeons came. And then...”

She glanced at him, but Junhui kept his eyes on the road. “On the 70th year after the murders, umm... we lost Dad, and Jaehyun lost his mother.” Junhui let out a breath, gripping the steering wheel tighter. Fortunately for them, he’d decided to wait until they were almost home to broach the subject. By now, he could see their house and the large plane trees in the yard.

“What happened to the Jeons back in the 1930s was a tragedy, but don’t forget that they were the _victims_. Not the perpetrators; therefore, they shouldn’t be treated as such.” She sighed. “As for what happened to our family and the Parks...” After a brief pause, she finished, “It wasn’t your fault, Junhui. You were sick, and things took a turn for the worse, but it was not your fault. And neither was it because of ghosts or spirits or whatever that came out of the Jeon murders. People are going to think what they think. They see what they want to see. Anyone can find links to major events, it doesn’t make them any more significant.”

The car rolled into the driveway, and Junhui parked.

“Jun, you and Hao are the most important people in my life. I would never do anything to put you in any danger,” Hyejin said, turning to face him. She held his hand in hers. “If you don’t want to work with Wonwoo because it makes you uncomfortable or for whatever reason,” she smiled, her brown eyes warm, “I’ll take care of it.”

“I don’t want to cause more trouble for you, though.”

She smiled again. “You’d be a volunteer, not an employee. If something happens, and you can’t make it,” she shrugged. “No big deal. I’ll let them know.”

Instantly, it felt like an enormous weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. A bright and grateful smile stretched his lips.

“Thanks, Mom.”

The rest of the evening and the weekend went by as had any others. Minghao came back from his camping trip around eight Sunday night, earlier than they expected. He told them briefly about the trip as he ate a late dinner. Just as Junhui had expected, Mingyu did most of everything, while Hana contributed absolutely nothing. Still, the boys managed to take time exploring the woods and taking a lot of beautiful pictures, which greatly impressed the two homebodies. Afterward, Minghao went off to unpack, while Junhui followed Hyejin into the yard.

She had been working on her garden for a few seasons, but the flowers never quite looked like they should. Jokingly, she claimed it was because they had a mind of their own and didn’t abide to her careful planning, but Junhui personally thought it was because she was asking the impossible.

Although the sky was still bright, it wasn’t quite enough for her to trim the crawling plants. Instead, she just checked the soil to make sure the sprinklers reached all greens, before crouching down to pick off the small weeds growing among the flowers.

It was a nice and cool evening, and he left her there to take a short walk out into the porch where his own seedlings sat. The memory of the possible beast roaming the property made him reach for the flashlight and chase the shadows away, brandishing it this way and that. The first thought that popped into his head was Wonwoo, but then he remembered that Wonwoo hadn’t come to town until a day or two later. Which made the whole situation even more disturbing, and Junhui really should invest in a much powerful flashlight.

So engrossed in his own thoughts, he didn’t even notice the approaching figure until his familiar voice echoed across the field.

“Are you practicing your dance moves for an upcoming rave or something? I don’t remember teaching you that choreo.”

Examining his surrounding, he saw Soonyoung cruising on his bike. Because it was mostly a flat field, his voice carried easily through the wind. He was still laughing when he dismounted and joined his friend on the porch.

“Ha ha. Funny,” he rolled his eyes. “What are you doing out here at this hour?”

“I was making a delivery in the neighborhood,” he stated as he plopped down on the wooden bench and leaned back.

“This late?” Junhui asked, surprised.

Soonyoung tried to hide it, but it was pretty clear on his face. It was the same excitement he wore when he finally got something he had wanted for a while. “It could’ve been done sooner, but I got distracted in town.”

“Uh-huh,” Junhui moved away from his potted plants and rested his elbows behind him on the banister, watching his friend.

“I _kinda_ ran into Seokmin.”

Junhui arched a brow, stifling his laughter. “Don’t you mean you stalked him, and then he caught you looking so you had to pretend to run into him?”

“Oh, shut up!” Soonyoung laughed, shaking his head. “I haven’t stalked him or anything. But I did see him leave the coffee shop across the street from where I was.” Gesturing with his hands, he told him, “Making sure he hadn’t seen me yet, I quickly crossed the street and walked toward him. The only pretending I did was to make it look like I _hadn’t_ seen him.”

“And...”

“And like I knew he would, he stopped me.” He grinned proudly, eyes disappearing. “We talked about this and that, and finally—finally!—he asked me out for a coffee.”

“Wow!” Junhui laughed, impressed. “Very nice. Although I don’t understand why you’re making such a big deal out of it when you’re neighbors. On top of really good friends. You don’t have to wait for him to ask you, you could’ve asked him and it wouldn’t be weird at all.”

“Ah,” Soonyoung waved a finger in front of him, “that is where you are wrong, my beautiful baby twin.”

“Hey! I’m older than you.”

Soonyoung snorted a laugh. “Yeah, like that means anything.”

Junhui stuck his tongue out and made a face, which got Soonyoung laughing. “Sit and let me enlighten you.” Patting the seat next to him, he waited expectantly for the other to join him, before continuing. “It gets a whole lot more complicated when you’re already friends with the guy. It’s not as clear whether it’s a date-date, or just a hang out-date. So every step becomes important. Like chess!”

Chewing that over, Junhui leaned against his side. “I think you’re just complicating things more than they need to be.”

Soonyoung swung an arm around Junhui’s neck to bring them closer. “Believe me, Junnie, if I could skip all this complicated thing and come right out and say: ‘Lee Seokmin, I would like you to be my boyfriend!’ I would. Unfortunately, I don’t have the guts nor the self-confidence. Besides, my ego bruises as easily as the peaches I grow.”

They laughed, with Junhui poking him. “Kwon Soonyoung having no confidence? Hard to believe.”

“I could say the same thing about you, Moon Junnie.”

The latter sighed. “Life is hard. I wish we could just eat delicious food and worry over nothing.”

Soonyoung chuckled. “What about love? Don’t you want that too?”

“I can love my food plenty.”

Laughing some more, Soonyoung swatted at him, and Junhui followed suit. “Just wait until you meet the cutie-patootie that’ll sweep you off your feet. Then we’ll see how you deal with it.”

The boys sat still for a moment to catch their breath, which seemed like enough time to remind Soonyoung of something else to talk about.

“Speaking of cutie-patooties. Guess who else I saw in town.” He sat up and clapped his hands.

Junhui scratched at his hair. “Who?”

“Come on, it’s not fun if you don’t play along!”

Just to tease him, Junhui then proceeded to call out all the boys Soonyoung had crushed on since kindergarten. And as expected, the other turned bright red at the memory.

“No! Please, stop embarrassing me.”

Junhui laughed. “Okay, fine. Who’s the other cutie-patootie you saw?” he gave in, knowing all too well he’d tell him soon enough anyway.

Grinning, Soonyoung sat up straight. “Mr. Jeon himself! You totally held out on me, dude. I thought he was some old and wrinkly guy!”

Junhui’s face fell in a second, and his palms turned clammy. It was totally irrational. Why should he feel this afraid when he knew he’d keep his tongue from running off Wonwoo’s secret, on top of not having to go work with him and his aunt at the house anymore? To keep Soonyoung from wondering about the sudden change in behavior, he thought fast.

“You mean, Wonwoo?” he stalled, grateful it was now getting darker and the porch light was a mere yellow glow.

“Ohhh, Wonwoo, huh? You guys on a first name basis?” he kid, wiggling his eyebrows and elbowing him playfully. Junhui forced a smile, hoping it didn’t look too robotic.

“That’s what everyone called him.”

A second later, Soonyoung commented, “Poor guy, though.”

“Why?”

He shrugged. “He was wandering the streets today. Not exactly lost, but not completely sure of where he was going, either. The way people watched him made it clear that he was not welcome in their town. I mean, I was staring ’cause he was new and good-looking, but everyone else... not so much.” Thinking, he took a second before continuing. “It felt like they expected him to pull out a gun and shoot everyone down or something. A mix of scorn and fear. I don’t know, it was weird.”

With his comment came Junhui’s recollection of what Mrs. Yoon told Sherry at the shop. That the whole town will need to keep an eye on him (and Junhui). He sighed silently.

“How did he react to that?”

“He didn’t do anything. I guess he anticipated the way people were going to treat him.”

“Yeah, I guess.” They stayed quiet for a while. The breeze blew through the trees, ruffling the leaves. A moth was circling the light, the beating of its wings making a low buzz. “Why aren’t you afraid of him?”

Soonyoung turned to him, looking at him with a pointed stare. “Are you?”

“I’m... not sure.” Uncomfortable, he shifted in his seat. _Yes!_ he wanted to scream, but without a plausible alternative reason to why, he couldn’t tell him.

“Did something happen at the meeting?”

“No, not really. I just... Don’t you think there must be a reason why people are treating him the way they are?”

“Yeah, ’cause this town is full of petty people,” he stated with a huff. “You of all people should understand this!”

Sheepishly, Junhui glanced at him.

Soonyoung cooled off rapidly. “I’m sorry, Jun,” he sighed and pressed his hands over his face. “I didn’t mean to sound critical. The townspeople just drive me crazy. Ugh!” After composing himself, he went on, “He just reminded me of you, that’s all. I suppose I’m biased, but when the odds are stacked against someone like this, getting one ally means a lot.”

“Ally?” he repeated.

“One person who won’t give him the stink eye or run away screaming in fright before he’s even done anything but breathe.” Junhui smiled softly, thinking over his words. “At least, when they treated you like a pariah, you had your mom and Minghao and me. He’s got no one. Well, maybe just his aunt, but they don’t seem very close.”

“Yeah,” Junhui agreed.

“Good thing you’ll be there helping him with the repairs,” he said with a chuckle. “When you go get supplies in town, he’ll have a buddy.”

An icy jolt ran down his spine. “From what I’ve seen, he doesn’t look like he needs me as a buddy, Hoshi,” he commented, remembering their close encounter.

“Still, there’s power in numbers. Besides, think of it this way: you’re paying it forward by helping someone who’s going through what you went through.”

“ _Still_ going through,” Junhui corrected him. Then he sighed, feeling the anxiety coming back. He ran a hand through his hair. “Wanna come in for a bit? I need to talk to my mom about something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pffft as if jun could actually not go work for wonu. still, A+ for effort, junnie 👏👏👏
> 
> and yes, Hannie is a real dad with a kid named violet (i was gonna call her "purple rose" but that's a bit awkward, so her full name is yoon violet rose :D hurray? lol) and two boyfriends. JiHanCheol FTW (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و
> 
> also, congrats to HS for scoring a coffee date! wooooooh!!!
> 
> at any rate, thank you very much for reading! i promise wonu comes back next chapter and it'll be more exciting lol. have a wonderful day/evening!  
> xoxoxo


	4. From Eggshell to Dynamite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun shows up for his first day on the job at the Jeon House.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, sorry for the late post, but finals are coming up soooo yeah. 
> 
> Anyway, here's finally some wonhui interactions. FINALLY. thank goodness
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> -

 

 

 

On Monday morning, Junhui found himself sitting in his brother’s truck on top of the Serenity Hill, staring at the Jeon House through the black iron gate. After Minghao gave Soonyoung a lift home last night, Junhui had gone to tell Hyejin that he’d give it a try today before calling it quits for real. It might've been anxiety-induced, but he couldn’t tell if she was surprised or amused by his decision.

Sure, now that he was sitting here, he wanted to bolt again. Nevertheless, his conversation with Soonyoung made him think about the real reason he didn’t want to accept this job. There was the fear of ending up as the guy’s dinner, obviously. But after hearing the Gossip Brigade’s new agenda, his first instinct had been to stay as far away from Jeon Wonwoo as possible. Even if it’d only been for one second, he had shamefully thought about leaving Wonwoo to fend for himself against the town’s surveillance and scorn.

What an ugly and horrible thought. And hypocritical. Junhui wouldn’t be any different from the people who still held him with disdain for something that occurred a decade ago.

For that matter, he had gone to bed with a headache, confused and conflicted over how he ought to feel and treat Wonwoo. On one hand, Junhui understood what it was like to have an entire town hate you, to be judged, and alienated. On the other, despite Diamond Creek not knowing, Jeon Wonwoo _did_ have a dark secret. One he had entrusted Junhui with. One the boy was terrified of. Because unlike his own secret, Wonwoo’s had fangs and could devour an entire deer.

It was a fairly difficult line Junhui was walking on, like an acrobat balancing himself on a tight rope. Junhui saw Soonyoung’s point about Wonwoo needing at least one person who didn’t run away screaming or judged him for the murders linked to his family. But did that person have to be Junhui? Was there no other way to be supportive without actively being around a guy who could turn into a beast and potentially tear him to shreds?

“This place is huge,” Minghao’s observation pulled the younger out of his morbid thoughts. He was inspecting the surrounding, and Junhui realized that his brother hadn’t been up here before.

“Yeah,” Junhui agreed, then added under his breath, “And totally secluded,” as he scanned the grounds.

Without the veil of night, the property seemed boundless. The trees and shrubs blended into the taller trees around the house as they grew into the woods, almost as though the Jeon House reigned over this part of town. In a way, he supposed it did. He could see the small shops and houses from here, the cars driving through the streets, and even make out the tiny inhabitants going about their day. The property was beautiful as much as it was lonely. Being able to see the whole town, but not be part of it.

“Looks like they started without you,” Minghao remarked, pointing toward a pile of supplies, compiled of paint cans, lumber of all sizes, as well as a table saw and miscellaneous tools.

“Yeah, guess I better get going then.” His hand on the door handle, he turned back to ask, “When are you picking me up?”

Minghao chuckled. “You haven’t even started, and you already want to know when you’ll get to go home?” Junhui faked a grin for his brother’s benefit. “I should be done around 5:00, clean up might prolong closing till 6:00. I’ll call.”

“Okay. Thanks.”

After Minghao drove away, Junhui went through the open heavy gate and took careful steps across the large dirt yard toward the house. Looking over the side of the house, he swallowed. A muscle memory of the fright from that night made him shiver despite the quickly rising heat.

Junhui had barely climbed one stair of the old porch, that the front door slammed open. Startled, he quickly stepped down and moved to the side as a woman ran out. She was wearing a jacket with the hood pulled over her head. Only the escaping blonde wisps indicated her hair color. As it was, her hair color and height were the only distinguishable traits he could grab onto.

As suddenly as she had appeared, she moved past him, muttering a quiet and hurried, “Excuse me,” before she locked herself into a dark car parked under the large shadow of an oak tree. Just like that, she drove off, leaving nothing behind but a cloud of dirt.

Junhui stood there blinking for a second, before he shook himself out of the stupor and shock to assess his surrounding a little better. With all the trees and piles of lumber everywhere, he hadn’t noticed the cars. Not counting the one that just left, two remained on the lot. An old truck with supplies and tools in the bed, and a shiny black sedan were parked on the fringe of the woods. He took another look back in the direction of the road as if the mysterious woman would reappear to tell him who she was and what just happened.

Without any other distraction, Junhui trudged up the stairs and knocked on the door. Once. Twice. Three times. No answer. Obviously, it wasn’t locked since the woman hadn’t bothered to use a key on her way out. Yet to open it on his own didn’t seem like the polite thing to do without knocking first. Plus, what if Wonwoo was actually super strict about asking permissions before entering his personal space? Or worse, he could mistake Junhui for an intruder and knock him out or something.

With still no answer, he swallowed, mounting up the small amount of bravery he had, and pushed the door open. _Please, don’t kill me_.

“Mr. Jeon? Ms. Seo?” his voice squeaked as he peeked around the piece of wood.

Footsteps from the first floor made him look up. Wonwoo walked out, pulling a blue t-shirt over his head. “Oh, good, you’re here. I thought you’d taken the first chance to run away.”

Junhui blushed briefly, ashamed that he did think about not accepting the job. He tried to avert his gaze to anything else but the man mere feet away. Unsuccessfully. Somehow, he ended up glancing away from the cobwebs and directing his attention forward again.

Wonwoo’s dark hair was damp and disheveled like he’d just step out of the shower. The picture of the woman from mere minutes ago flashed through Junhui’s mind. Wonwoo couldn’t have harmed her if she was still walking and capable of driving. But then, how was she involved with him? She couldn’t be a... a call girl, could she? Would that even be viable? What if she’d been a robber? That would be assuming that there’s anything worth stealing to begin with.

When Wonwoo arched a brow, Junhui realized he’d been blatantly staring at him. Junhui cleared his throat and fixed the zipper of his hoodie to give himself something to do and avoid the other’s cold gaze, hoping the dim lighting would conceal the red cheeks.

“You might want to watch where you step,” Wonwoo warned. “Some of the boards are still loose.”

“Oh.” More than half of the foyer and main hallway’s rotting floor boards had been pulled out and replaced with new ones. The contrast was startling now that he paid attention. And to think he’d been running on those things a few nights ago. He was lucky not to have fallen through.

“Did you really get all this done in one weekend?” Junhui asked, astonished.

“Since no angry mob with pitchforks came to rush the place after you left, I figured I was safe from the wrath of Diamond Creek.” He flashed a devilish grin. “At least for the time being.” Junhui couldn’t be sure if Wonwoo was just scaring him or what, but the reaction was the same. He looked anywhere but at him.

Before he knew it, Wonwoo made his way down the stairs and stood right in front of him. “Ready to work?”

Junhui nodded wordlessly.

They moved through the house toward the kitchen. Tasks halfway done littered the way there: a few feet of wallpaper had been pulled off, holes in the walls patched up, rolls of old rugs leaned against the wall, more floor boards taken out.

“Is Ms. Seo not here?” he wondered, noticing that Wonwoo hadn’t mentioned her at all.

“Can you really see her doing any of this restoration without breaking a bone?” he shot back, slightly annoyed.

Junhui shut up.

The kitchen was spacious, with an isle in the middle and cabinets lining the corner with the stove and sinks. Some of the windows had been open, as well as the door leading to the back of the house. Grime and dirt covered the floor. It didn’t look like anyone had done any cleaning since last Halloween season.

Wonwoo moved to the far wall under the window. “Taking out the wall tiles for new ones is time consuming,” he said, with his back to Junhui, “but it’s virtually impossible to screw up. Which means that even a novice like you should be able to handle it.” He picked up a hammer and a chisel by the counter, then crouched down next to a cluster of broken tiles. “Just put the chisel right here and tap it with the hammer,” he demonstrated. The small pieces of tile crumbled to the floor. “Got it?”

Junhui nodded, but his mind didn’t focus on the job at all. If Ms. Seo wasn’t coming, that left him alone with Wonwoo for the whole day. All the way up here in the house rumored to be haunted and inhabited (for now) by _him_. If Wonwoo snapped his neck, no one would even find the remains of his body. 

Wonwoo laughed shortly. “Don’t look so terrified. It’s not that hard.”

Junhui should have felt a stab at the insinuation, but he let it pass easily considering where his mind was going. “That’s... that’s not it,” he replied hesitantly, eyes darting to the wall, feet shuffling in place.

Wonwoo took a second to compose his thoughts, studying the boy’s face. Then it dawned on him. “Oh,” he grinned, “just me, I guess.” Shaking his head, he added, “Don’t worry, I’m not into cannibalism.”

“But you said—”

“If I remember correctly I said ‘attack.’ And I don’t attack unless I need to feed; therefore...” he left the sentence hanging.

Junhui pulled his brows together in confusion. What was he saying now? And what about his threat? “Cannibalism,” he muttered. “Then you’re actually human…? Or… what _are_ you?” The words felt so odd strung together in that sentence. He wanted to facepalm and find a crevice big enough to crawl in and die.

Wonwoo stared at him pointedly, then pushed himself to his feet. “Isn’t one secret enough for you to bear?”

Somehow, his words bore more weight than they should have. Junhui knew he must have meant the secret that currently tied them together, but Junhui couldn’t help thinking about the irony of the statement. He didn’t exactly ask to have another secret. The burden of his own was heavy enough.

“R-right.”

Wonwoo moved past the boy to the counter. As Junhui turned around to see him put the tools down onto the beat up surface, he also noticed the soiled cloth resting there. It was bloody.

Noticing him staring at it, Wonwoo quickly seized the rag and threw it into the sink. Then he grabbed a bottle of bleach laying at his feet and poured a good amount on it. The smell soon became overwhelming. He left the offending cloth in the sink and moved out of the room without another word.

Junhui coughed, but the smell was so strong, he couldn’t bear it. He reached over the sink to open the window. As he breathed in fresh air, he assessed the soaked cloth. The bleach turned it white, but the liquid running down the drain was definitely pink. He turned around, his back resting against the sink.

Upon closer inspection, the counter surface seemed as though it had been cleaned haphazardly very recently. The streaks left behind were brown from the dirt and grime, and pink from the blood. _What happened here?_ The woman from this morning came to mind again, and he shuddered, unwilling to even imagine what this blood meant or where it came from.

Checking his phone, he murmured to himself, “Ten hours, I can do this.” Then he got to work.

As it turned out, avoiding Wonwoo for the rest of the workday was a lot easier than he anticipated. In contrast, removing these tiles free from the wall proved more difficult than Wonwoo had made it seem. Or maybe Junhui had no idea what he was doing, and Wonwoo actually had experience. The boy tried to start where the other had left off because it would be easier to get a grip, and it worked, sort of. Whereas chunks should have come off, now little specks floated down to the ground. As a result, getting through even a few inches took ages. Not to mention that his left palm began to feel raw a couple hours into the task, and he winced at the beginning of blisters forming.

Eventually, though, Junhui got most of that wall done. A few rows remained untouched next to the mounted cabinets because he hadn’t located a ladder yet. Even if he had one at his disposition, he would have to consider a good tactic on how to administer the right amount of force without going too far and tumbling from the top of the ladder. He was considering his next step when the chisel slipped out of his fingertips. Reflexes took over, and he tried to grab it before it hit the floor.

“Ouch!” The blade, sharper than he expected, nicked his right palm. Not thinking of how disgusting his hand must be at this point, he pressed it against his mouth, avoiding the worse before it could begin.

“You okay?” With a shirt covered in dust and small wood splinters, Wonwoo walked into the kitchen at that point.

Junhui startled slightly at the sudden voice. “I’m fine,” he said, a little too quickly, only too glad that Wonwoo decided to check on his progress with the tiles rather than look at him too closely.

“I just… Uh, accidentally cut myself. I’m hemophilic, so small cuts can cause major problems sometimes.” Having to hide his condition for so long, the lie came almost too easily now. 

“Oh. Well, your ride is here,” he announced.

Surprised, Junhui put down the chisel and dug out his phone, relieved the cut was already clotting. Was Minghao early? Why didn’t he call? It was 6:15. Weird.

“Thanks,” he said, as he pocketed the phone back in his jeans. For a second, he wasn’t sure what to do next. Could he just walk out? Say ‘goodbye’? ‘See you tomorrow’? Did he even want to come back tomorrow? While he contemplated his manners and proper departing etiquettes, Wonwoo picked up the chisel and went to the wall to chip off some of the pieces left.

“You can pick up where you left off tomorrow,” he said, without looking at him. Junhui supposed Wonwoo made the decision for him.

Nodding to himself, Junhui began to back out to the threshold, “Sure.”

“Junhui.” He turned around just in time to catch something Wonwoo threw at him. Opening his hand, he found a key. Slightly confused, he met the other’s sharp eyes. “No need to knock from now on.”

“Okay,” he nodded again. “Have a good evening.” Wonwoo didn’t reply as he went back to work, and Junhui left the house.

Once in the truck, he asked Minghao, “Why didn’t you call?”

“I was just about to ask why you didn’t pick up.” Minghao pulled out of the driveway and made his way down the bumpy road. “Figured your hands were full or dirty.”

“Oh.” Junhui sat back into the seat. “My phone didn’t say I had any missed calls.”

“Do you have reception in there?”

“I think so. My phone usually tells me when I lose connection.”

“Maybe you need a new phone,” he suggested.

“Yeah, maybe.”

They rode in silence for a minute. The wheels of the truck hit the dirt and crushed through the branches. The trees on either side seemed to be growing out into the road, their lower branches almost hitting the roof of the car. Obviously, the town had long ago forgotten (or ignored) to trim these trees.

“So did you see any ghosts on your first day?” Minghao wondered, almost genuinely curious, while the younger dug around in the glove compartment for a alcohol wipe. Better get the cut cleaned.

He grinned and replied, “Nah, I think they got intimidated by my tile-removing skills.”

“You’re that good, huh?” he chuckled.

“Yup. I’m practically a professional now,” Junhui boasted sarcastically.

“Oh, yeah? We’re actually in need of a little makeover at the garage. Think you can lend us your expertise?”

Eyeing him, he asked, “Are you gonna pay me?”

They laughed.

That was Minghao’s way of checking if his brother was alright. If Junhui hadn’t bitten the bait and joked around with him, he’d know something had gone wrong. A signal for him to investigate further. But since Junhui had, he didn’t need to probe for more answers. Consequently, he went back to his trademark silences.

The Jeon House hadn’t proved to be haunted today, and Wonwoo’s fangs thankfully stayed out of sight, but there was still the bloody cloth and mysterious woman. Junhui supposed if Wonwoo hadn’t acted to get the cloth out of sight as quickly as he did, Junhui would have written it off as him hurting himself at some point prior to the younger’s arrival. But that didn’t explain the counter being soiled as well. As for the woman, he had no explanation for presence. Should he have mentioned her to Wonwoo? At worse, she could’ve been a robber, and keeping quiet could land him in serious trouble if something like a family heirloom (or Wonwoo’s wallet) went missing.

What kind of robber breaks into a house in plain daylight, though? At the Jeon House, no less.

After dinner, Junhui went out to find Minghao at his studio, aka, the second floor of the barn.

The first floor was cluttered with large boxes and containers, and gardening tools. He made a left to the small staircase leading to the upper level. Halfway up, he smelled the paint and heard the quiet brushstrokes against the canvas. He navigated his way around the supplies and paintings. Some rested on easels to dry, a few on the ground, others leaned against each other. At the beat-up couch, Junhui sank down and stared out the open doors.

There used to be a fourth wall, but two summers ago, Minghao had decided to take it down with Mingyu’s help, and they replaced it with large French doors. On a safety level, with them open, all the paint fumes won’t accumulate in the confined space like they would if the old wall had been there. The other reason was due to the lighting and the feel of the open space. Junhui could understand wanting to look out into the grass fields instead of a boring wooden wall. Besides, no matter the time of day, coming up here provided him with shelter from the sun or the cold winds, and yet he could still enjoy the view. Nights and evenings were particularly beautiful during the summertime; he could see the stars coming out, bright against the navy sky.

Before Minghao and his partners opened the garage in town, he’d been an art major at Pledis University. He never returned for his sophomore year. He claimed that art couldn’t be taught, and that all the GE’s were a waste of time and money. As a result, he went off and got a job. It took Hyejin more than a year of pleading and guilt-tripping until he finally got an Associates Degree in General Physics. When asked why he chose Physics of all things, he’d shrugged and replied, “I’m good at it.” Such a Minghao answer. At the time, Junhui thought his brother to be one of the coolest people he knew.

Now that Hyejin didn’t pester him about getting a degree anymore, Minghao could do what he enjoyed most: paint. The garage to him had been nothing more than a means to an end in the beginning. Now, though, it was a stable job; therefore, he stayed. Sometimes people commissioned him to design certain tableaux, or they came to buy off the ones he’d done for fun. Seungcheol especially liked his flowers and night skies. So much so, that when he bought one, Minghao gifted him another, both of which currently hang in his ice cream shop.

Now Junhui waited for his brother to switch paintbrushes before he spoke up. When Minghao painted, he sort of left their world and went into his own. Once, Junhui had called him while he was in the middle of it, and he almost flipped the whole easel over. People said not to wake sleep-walkers, but Junhui learned not to disturb his brother while the latter was deep in concentration, either. Not unless he wanted to get his forehead flicked.

“Hey, Hao?” he called softly.

“What’s up?” the other replied, not taking his eyes off the canvas.

“Um,” Junhui tried to form his words. “Do you remember if you saw a car behind you this morning as you were leaving the Jeon House?”

He thought for a second, his eyebrows pulling together. “Maybe, why?” Quickly, Junhui summarized the woman that almost ran into him. “Hmm,” he shrugged. “Might be his girlfriend.”

“Why did she have the hood pulled over her head like she was hiding her face? Plus, she was in a super hurry, too.”

“Secret lovers.”

Raising his eyebrow, Junhui watched him dubiously. “Seriously.”

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he chuckled. “You’re the die-hard romantic. Or maybe she’s a vampire, so she had to hide from the sun,” he sorted.

“Stop messing around, Hao!” Junhui pulled on the sleeves of his hoodie over his fingers, biting at one. “What if she was a burglar?”

He rolled his eyes. “Did he mention missing anything?”

“No, but the place is a mess. I don’t think he’d notice if anything went missing. Not right away.”

“Okay, listen. The place has been a tourist attraction for decades, anything worth stealing has to be insured, first of all. Secondly, you didn’t see her coming out carrying any priceless piece of furniture or whatever, did you? Moreover, if she _had_ wanted to, why not come when no one was home, instead of now that the place is being renovated?” he asked aloud. “The only reason she’d be there would be to pick his wallet. And _that_ he would definitely notice.”

Taking a second, Junhui thought it over. “Probably.” Besides, if she had tried, Junhui doubted she would have made it out in one piece, but that thought he kept to himself.

“So I’m rooting for the ‘secret lovers’ theory,” he chuckled. “Or the vampire.”

“Right.” Junhui knew he didn’t really. Actually, Minghao most likely didn’t care at all other than to entertain and reassure his brother that he didn’t assist in an attempted burglary.

 

 

On top of Serenity Hill the next morning, Minghao had to stall the engine while Junhui hopped off a little further down the path. A delivery truck was parked in the way, and the man was unloading some boxes onto a cart. Neither recognized the logo of the brand, so it definitely did not come from town. Minghao had just driven off, and Junhui was making his way around the back of the truck when the delivery man called out to him.

“Sir, is anyone home?” he gestured toward the house.

“The owner should be,” Junhui answered. To be helpful, he pulled the gate wider for him to push the flat cart loaded with the boxes inside the property.

“I tried the door earlier,” he said, “but it didn’t seem like anyone was inside.”

Checking the yard, Junhui noticed the sedan and the truck still parked under the shades. So unless Wonwoo went off into the woods on foot, he had to be home.

“He could be in the shower,” he said, then winced a grimace. That was probably borderline too much information. “Do you know how many boxes there are?”

“Let’s see here.” The delivery man paused to check the papers attached to his clipboard, flipping a few back. “About a dozen. You guys renovating this place?”

Again, Junhui was about to offer too much information about it, but he settled for a smile and, “Sure.”

“I’m gonna need you to sign for them.” From his belt, he handed the boy the device and accompanying stylus. Junhui quickly scribbled his name and returned it to him. “Thanks. Do you want me to help you take those inside?”

“Would that be okay?”

“Of course! All part of the job.”

Thanking him, Junhui fished around for the key Wonwoo had given him and unlocked the door.

“Wonwoo?” he called out, but got nothing but the echo of his voice as an answer. Shaking his head, he went back to carry those boxes in with the delivery man. He wasn’t sure what the boxes contained, so the two just piled them by the door, before the delivery man returned to his vehicle.

Despite it being daytime, no great amount of light could make it through the dirty windows. Fumbling around for a second, Junhui found the light switch. A dim glow made the foyer somewhat brighter. In his peripheral vision, something caught his eye. Something like a spark of light. He turned just in time for it to disappear over a picture hanging on the wall.

Cautiously, he climbed to the middle of the staircase to look more closely at the spot where the flash had faded over. It was a black and white picture of a woman, maybe in her early thirties. She was sitting at a table, some sort of music box in front of her. She had dark hair, loosely curled and falling down her back. A gentle smile tugged at her lips. It had to be taken from at least a century ago. He leaned in closer to the frame, squinting.

“What are you doing?”

Wonwoo’s voice felt like an arrow shooting through the air. Junhui jumped, both hands pressed against his mouth to suppress the squeak that had escaped as he whirled around to see the other at the bottom of the steps, staring up at him with an arched brow. Junhui’s fingers and toes felt tingly from the rush of adrenaline, and his heart beat like a drum. He put a hand over his chest to try to calm it down as he swallowed and breathed.

“Who is this woman?” he asked, not answering the previous question.

Wonwoo took a second before coming up next to him to see whom he was referring to. He stood with his arms crossed, his face somber as he gazed at the portrait. Junhui would have interrupted him and pretended like nothing happened if it didn’t look like he was trying to figure something out from that dusty picture.

Finally, he said, “My great-grand-mother.”

“The one...” he hesitated, but Wonwoo finished the sentence.

“The one who hacked up her family with an axe, yeah.” He sighed, “Jeon Mikyung.”

As Junhui stared back at her picture, it didn’t look like she was smiling anymore. _Wait, what?_ Shaking his head, he chastised his imagination.

Wonwoo faced him. “Why are you looking at her picture anyway?”

As crazy as it sounded, Junhui reminded himself that a few nights ago, he’d seen Wonwoo crouched over that deer, so his definition of _improbable_ no longer applied to the recent events. “When I turned on the light, something caught my eye and when I looked up, the flash disappeared over this frame.” He shrugged, sheepish. “I just wanted to see…”

The way Wonwoo studied him over the next five seconds made him squirm. There was something in those sharp eyes, as if he was assessing the younger, computing something. It was the same intensity as when he had stared him down that night, getting him to keep his secret. Just the same as that night, Junhui couldn’t break eye contact. He didn’t break free until Wonwoo blinked and glanced at his ancestor’s picture again.

“It was just the glass reflecting the light,” he explained. Junhui wanted to argue that this dim glow couldn’t even reach the portraits up here, but Wonwoo quickly changed the subject. “Thanks for signing and bringing the boxes in,” he moved down the stairs. “All that pounding was beginning to get on my nerves.”

His brows pulled together in confusion. “If you heard him come at the door, why didn’t you answer?”

Wonwoo merely shrugged.

“Can... Can you not go outside during the daytime?”

When he halted suddenly and turned around so quickly, Junhui almost slammed his face into him. Without an ounce of humor, Wonwoo spoke evenly. “Or what, I’ll sparkle or burst into flames?”

Shaking his head, Junhui tried not to meet his gaze, too embarrassed. “Never mind.”

Wordlessly, Wonwoo continued down the stairs and walked up to the door. He swung it open and stepped out into the sun-bathed porch. The sun made his dark hair look more brown than black, and his dark eyes squinted back at him. “Satisfied?” he asked as he came back inside and slammed the door behind him.

Junhui nodded, cheeks feeling warm.

“Come on, we have work to do.” He moved to the cupboard under the stairs and opened it to retrieve a couple of buckets, each filled with different bottles among various other items. “Wallpaper or windows?” He gestured to different buckets.

Personally, Junhui had never removed wallpaper, but looking at the filth on these windows, it would take him ages to get them clean. Moreover, the summer heat would not make matters easier. Wallpaper removal would at least keep him indoors.

“I’ll start with the wallpaper,” he told him.

Wonwoo handed him the appropriate bucket, then pointed at a spot behind him. “Get going over there first.” Following where he indicated, Junhui saw a ladder next to the half-finished attempt.

“All right.”

As he turned to go, Junhui felt the other move closer behind him. For that one second, his heart rate accelerated, pumping adrenaline in his blood, priming him ready for the flight rather than the fight. But Junhui quickly realized that Wonwoo was merely getting closer to the door in order to pick up one of the boxes. Junhui let out what he hoped was a _silent_ sigh of relief. His voice was still shaking when he watched Wonwoo climb the stairs to the upper level.

“Do you need any help that?”

Not bothering to answer, he continued up then disappeared through the threshold. Taking a deep breath, Junhui focused on the task at hand. How was he going to take off this wallpaper without damaging the walls? He checked the bucket for its content for some help. There were sponges, an old cloth, a few spray bottles, a round and spiky apparatus, a brush, and a small putty knife. That didn’t exactly tell him how to do it.

To increase the pressure, Wonwoo was making his way down to get another box. Thankfully, though, he couldn’t care less about whether Junhui was making progress. Nonetheless, he had to show him that he was doing _something_ , so he climbed to the top of the ladder and sat down. Like anyone nowadays faced with something they can’t figure out, he used the magic of the internet. After a few clicks, he saved the page and pocketed the phone. He inspected the products inside the bucket again, then got to work.

By the time he actually got the solution mixed and ready to apply to the wall, Wonwoo was almost done carrying those packages upstairs. Junhui guessed they were either bed or bathroom furnishings. As he sprayed the solution on the wall, Junhui saw him from the corner of his eye move with ease transporting those cartons, not even breaking a sweat. Then again, Junhui thought, for someone who could easily chase and wrestle a stag, moving furniture was small potatoes.

He was waiting for the mixture to soak through the paper and dissolve the adhesive holding it against the wall, so when Wonwoo came back down for the last package, Junhui asked, “You could have gotten home furnishing from town, you know. The shipping fee alone for this shipment...”

Wonwoo paused in the middle of the stairs on his way up. He barely turned, just called back over his shoulder. “If I can buy some peace of mind, I’ll pay.” Then he went upstairs and didn’t come back down.

Junhui gnawed on his bottom lip and faced the wall again.

_That was a stupid comment_ , he chastised himself. Of course Wonwoo wouldn’t want anything to do with Diamond Creek and its inhabitants. By the way he acted now, it was almost easy to forget what Junhui had seen on the fringe of the woods that night. That he had a terrifying secret. The less interactions he initiated with the people in town, the better. Even more so when he knew they both loathed and feared him.

With his fingertips, Junhui checked the paper, scratching the edge lightly to see if it was ready. When it came off, he grabbed the wide putty knife and inserted it under the edge. He began to peel upward slowly. But his mind was still on what Wonwoo really was. How would it have changed matters if Junhui hadn’t known his secret? Would he ever have found out? Probably not. If he discarded his knowledge for a bit, and only considered the last couple of days, Jeon Wonwoo was perfectly normal. A little cold and curt, but other than that, he was fine. Junhui continued to peel off the paper.

Since he was... what he was, what did that make of the Jeons who lived here? Were they like that as well? What about Ms. Seo? She always seemed so frail, like she could get blown away by a strong gust of wind. Then there was something that the Gossip Brigade said about Wonwoo, too: his “mission” to figure out what really happened to the Jeons and if it somehow correlated with the events from a decade ago. Junhui truly hoped those gossiping ladies were wrong. He really didn’t want to get probed by scientists like some sort of alien or freak.

The sheet pulled free and landed on the tarp. The empty wall still felt a little wet and sticky at the touch. Since the mix had to sit for at least fifteen minutes before he can start peeling, he sprayed another section of the covered wall and punctured it with the wallpaper scorer before he set off to clean the sticky wall as per the instructions.

Junhui came back with some more hot water and mixed the cleaning solution. The sponge was saturated with it, and water dripped down the wall as he scrubbed. It made it easier when he reached the parts where the water had already diluted the glue. For a while, he managed pretty well. The wall quickly felt slick.

On a moment of mindlessness, he failed to squeeze the sponge hard enough, so when it hit the wall, the stream of water rolled down into the electrical outlet before he could react to wipe it away. Panicking, he grabbed the cloth from the bucket and pressed it to the outlet in hope of getting the water absorbed before it could do any damage. But it was too late. The lights flickered on and off, then the whole house turned dark.

_Oh geez_.

“Junhui?” Wonwoo’s voice from upstairs made him feel worse.

“Uh—I’m still here.”

“What happened?” He was moving; Junhui could only hear him through the creaks of the floorboards. Without the lights, it was as dark as classrooms during movie showings, with the shades drawn and the door closed. He could make out shadows and movements, but nothing too clear.

“I—I... I was cleaning the wall, and—” he swallowed. “Water got in the outlet, I’m sorry, I—I just--”

Wonwoo came up behind him before Junhui could finish the sentence. “Does your phone have a flashlight?”

Junhui wanted to hit himself for not thinking about it earlier. “Yes, let me just...”

His hands felt more clumsy than usual knowing Wonwoo was waiting on him. Finally, he hit the icon and they were instantly standing in a pool of white light. Wonwoo extended out his hand toward the phone, and Junhui handed it to him. He pointed the light at the outlet and took some steps closer before leaning in. There were still a few drops left over from the younger’s aimless try at cleaning up.

One second he was pointing the light into the socket, the next he pressed his thumb against it. Junhui’s ‘ _What are you doing?! Take your hand off!_ ’ scream died in his throat as Wonwoo pulled his finger away and straightened up. Unharmed and not electrocuted.

“Spilling some water shouldn’t have caused the whole house to black out,” he assessed. Then he turned on his heels and moved toward the back of the house. “Probably something wrong with the main panel.”

Since he had his phone, Junhui didn’t really have a choice. Either go with him or stay in the dark. Even on a bright day with the lights working, the house made him nervous. He was not going to stand by himself in the dark without so much as his phone as consolation.

They arrived at two doors. One Junhui already knew led to the basement, but Wonwoo opened the other to show some sort of cleaning closet. There were a few shelves nailed to the wall holding some linens and bottles, and and old broom, a mop with its accompanying tin bucket leaned against the other wall. Mounted on the back wall was the electrical panel. Wonwoo handed Junhui the phone back so he could open the panel, and Junhui could shine some light for him to see. After inspecting the switches and testing them out a few times, his eyes scanned the very bottom. He turned off the current then pulled out the old fuses. Something small was taped on the small, probably a reserved fuse. The person who left it didn’t think all of them would go out at the same time. Despite what Wonwoo said, Junhui still felt guilty.

With just one fuse working, only parts of the house got its power back when he switched the power back on. So they didn’t stand in complete darkness anymore, at least.

“I gotta buy new ones,” he said on their way out. “Who knows how long that one's been taped there. It could give out any second.”

“Right,” Junhui agreed as he closed the door behind them.

“Get to the car then. I’ll be right out,” he said before turning to go upstairs.

Junhui stood in the foyer for a second, unsure if he heard him right. Before he’d composed himself, Wonwoo came down the steps.

“Would you prefer staying here?” he asked. Junhui couldn’t read his expression in the shadows, neither did he know him well enough to hear it in his voice to know if that was meant as a light joke.

His lips moved, his tongue already forming the words to tell Wonwoo he would prefer waiting in the yard, where it was sunny and relatively safe. However, what he thought of as his conscience suddenly sounded like Soonyoung: _“Come on, go into town with him. Give the guy at least one person on his side. Besides, you kinda owe him, don’t you think?”_

Biting his lip, Junhui glanced up. Their eyes met, and he could see Wonwoo studying him as much as the younger was contemplating the situation. “Let’s go,” Junhui exclaimed before he could changed his mind.

It might have been his imagination or the shadows playing tricks with his vision, but Wonwoo’s expression changed to either surprised or relieved. Junhui let him take the lead as they headed outside because he didn’t know which car was his. Wonwoo unlocked the black sedan, and Junhui climbed in.

At the moment the acceleration jerked his body back against the seat, Junhui realized he shouldn’t have listened to the Soonyoung-esque conscience. They were barely out the gates that Wonwoo was speeding down the dirt road, the car hitting every curve at a velocity at which it never should be allowed. Junhui wanted to close his eyes, but his body wouldn’t even allow that small move. All the energy was spent gripping whatever he could in order not to pass out.

“You’re gonna claw through my seat,” Wonwoo said, but Junhui didn’t look over.

His eyes were glued to the road and trees, now only blurred patches of greens and browns. With his comment, though, Junhui did register his fingernails digging into the seat on both sides of his legs.

When the boy didn’t respond nor did he release his grasp, Wonwoo called again, “Junhui!”

“If you don’t slow down, I’m going to have a heart attack,” he uttered between clenched teeth, which was all he could do to keep himself together and not scream.

“I haven’t even pushed 65,” he let him know, not slowing down, as if that would make him feel any better. No one sane would _dare_ drive above 40 on curved mountain roads, especially if it involved going down treacherous slopes.

Not answering, Junhui tried to breathe and tell himself that they were almost down on flat ground. What he should have expected was that Wonwoo drove that way in town, too. Only now Junhui dared look over, just to make sure he wasn’t having a nightmare and the driver will suddenly disappear, letting the car crash into the nearest building.

Wonwoo’s hands were very still and firm on the wheel, his eyes focused straight ahead. So he _looked_ like he knew what he was doing. But it didn’t take away from how reckless it felt.

“So lend me some shopping advice from your town,” he said out of nowhere. “Should we shop where the owner would rather you _not_ come in,” he glanced at him as they drove by _Tough as Nails_ , Mr. Sanders’ shop. “Or where the owner degrades her customers?” he finished when they passed by _Angel Wings’_.

The car slowed down slightly as he waited for the light so he could turn back around. Junhui looked down, fidgeting with his fingers. He spoke up when the car moved again. “Head for _Tough as Nails._ Mr. Sanders hates everyone equally, so it won’t make any difference if either you or I come in.”

“Why would he have a notable problem with you?” Wonwoo asked.

The car stopped in front of the shop. People were walking by, some noticed them and didn’t bother to hide the contempt. Wonwoo watched them pass, then turned his attention to the boy next to him again. Junhui felt like a specimen put under a microscope whenever Wonwoo fixed him with that stare.

“Why would anyone have a problem with you?”

Junhui shifted. “Mr. Sanders doesn’t like anyone.”

“What about them?” he wanted to know, not accepting that try at slithering out of answering with the truth. “They’re not disparaging just me.” He’d been here for barely half a week and he’d already figured out the town had it against Junhui. And now he wanted to know why. This was not good. Not good at all.

Risking a peek, Junhui saw him glaring out the windshield. For every sneer, Wonwoo returned a steel stare.

“Not all of them are like that.” Junhui sighed, then answered, eventually. “They have their reasons.” Wonwoo waited for him to add more. “Some are genuine, others merely follow the trend.”

“What did you do?”

Junhui looked straight at him. “Why do you even care?”

Wonwoo didn’t break eye contact. “Because I came here to find answers.”

“And not to fix the Jeon House,” he pushed on. This might be his chance at figuring out the real reason he was here.

Smiling faintly, Wonwoo said softly but firmly, “No one can fix the past, Junhui. But I do have questions. Ones that I hope the house and Diamond Creek can help me answer.” He leaned in close, his dark eyes staring straight at him. “And from what I’ve heard, you might be involved.”

Eyes wide, Junhui stared back him, his heart beating erratically. His jaw felt slack, but he couldn’t speak, or even think. Instead of pushing forward, though, Wonwoo merely smirked before backing away. Then he got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk to wait for Junhui to follow suit.

If Junhui had thought he would be walking on eggshells in Wonwoo’s presence before, he hadn’t seen anything yet. Now he would be walking around dynamite.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Idk why i made wonu a driving maniac, but hey, at least he looks hot, right? 😂 
> 
> oh and the lie junnie told about being hemophiliac? keep that in mind (and hey! he can lie in this fic hahahaha).
> 
> same goes for the mystery woman... 👀
> 
> i'll keep my ramblings short tonight bc i am exhausted lol. sorry (or maybe it's a good thing, idk 😂). at any rate, i hope you liked the tiny little bit development. We'll learn more about jun's past next chapter. Hope to see you then!
> 
> xoxoxo


	5. Sanctuary

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun runs into the town jerks, but he also visits his special secret place.

 

 

 

Awkwardly climbing out of the car, Junhui did his best not to make direct eye contact with Wonwoo. At this point, he should just invest in a pair of really dark sunglasses. Or wear blinders. 

He peeked at their surrounding briefly, noticing that Wonwoo didn’t even bother to lock the car, before taking the lead. Junhui followed sheepishly behind him into the store, his limbs stiffening the moment the door closed behind him.

As expected, the shop felt stuffy and hot despite the several electric fans circulating the ambient air in and out of the open windows. The incessant low buzzing frayed on his tensed nerves, leading him to fidget with the sleeve of his hoodie. Shoulders slumped, he did his best to not bump into any shelves or items on display as he kept close to Wonwoo’s back.

A man standing further inside sensed movements and glanced over, but he quickly dismissed the two of them without another thought. Junhui breathed out a sigh, hoping everyone else in the store will do the same.Shopping here today unsettled Junhui more than usual, mainly due to the company he kept. He couldn’t help shifting his weight back and forth, wishing they could get this errand over with and leave.

Wonwoo, on the other hand, appeared as steady and unaffected as usual. Expression even, he scanned the shelves and aisles as though assessing them for future reference. A couple minutes in, Wonwoo navigated toward the electrical aisle of the small store, with Junhui hurriedly following after him. The younger stood to the side to not disturb him, doing his best to help locate the fuses with the correct amperage and size as the one Wonwoo took from the house as reference. While Junhui studied the different brands, Wonwoo went to grab a few other things that looked completely foreign to the amateur’s gaze.

“Welcome to _Tough as Nails!_ Do you need any... help?”

The boys both turned toward the voice, which hardened the second its owner realized whom he had just addressed.

Junhui gulped, unconsciously scooting behind Wonwoo and averting his gaze to the floor.

Frank Hirshi worked here with Mr. Sanders. He was also the Park family’s best friend. Needless to say, he considered Junhui a pest and hadn’t hesitated to tell him so on several occasions. Consequently, the latter avoided coming in here whenever Hirshi manned the store.

“Good morning.” His smile and courteous voice changed into a stoic tone as he set his glasses atop his cropped salt-and-pepper hair and debated which hateful boy he’d rather not have to deal with.

 _“_ What do you need today?”

Wonwoo seemed indifferent to his obvious hostile attitude. Instead, he went straight to the point, asking if the store carried the particular kinds of fuse and other tools he needed.

“We do,” Hirshi answered curtly. “Anything else?” After Wonwoo replied in the negative, he told the boys to meet him at the register while he went to fetch what Wonwoo asked for.

As Hirshi rang up their purchases, there were no friendly chatter, no exchange of current events. Not that Junhui expected there to be, but it still felt very passive-aggressive. At least when Junhui came in here with Minghao to pick up paint and seasonal home repair items, Hirshi could act like he didn’t want to shoo them out. Today Junhui definitely saw the desire in his dark eyes to do just that. What must have stopped him were most likely Wonwoo’s size and notoriety. Not to mention the slight uneasy undercurrent rising in the shop as the two interacted, no matter how minimal it was. Unlike Junhui, Wonwoo didn’t pull away from the antagonistic behavior; he pushed right through it until he got what he needed.

That worried Junhui. If Wonwoo could cut through the crap from Hirshi that easily, it wouldn’t take him long before he figured out Junhui’s secret: what he did to Diamond Creek, and how he didn’t die ten years ago.

So distracted by his own racing thoughts, he barely remembered how they made it out of the store and into the car. He waited once they were at the intersection behind a red light, until he eventually asked, “What… exactly have you heard?”

Wonwoo didn’t pretend to not know what Junhui was referring to. The conversation they’d shared in the car earlier still lingered in both of their heads.

“Not so many amicable comments,” he answered.

“Do you believe every rumor you hear?”

“You haven’t denied anything yet,” Wonwoo noted, glancing at his passenger briefly before inching the car forward into traffic.

Junhui’s eyes widened in realized. Wonwoo was right. Junhui hadn’t denied his involvement with the Jeon murders. Unconsciously, he had let the Gossip Brigade get inside his head. Logically, he knew what happened to him, his family and the Parks had nothing to do with the house’s gory past. Yet when Wonwoo brought up his suspicion of a link, Junhui hadn’t even argued that he was wrong.

With shaky hands, he pressed covered his face. “Well, I am now,” he replied, slightly indignant. “There’s nothing that links me to the murders. That’s just impossible.”

“Nothing is impossible, Junhui. And not everything is as it seems, don’t forget that.” Wonwoo didn’t look at him when he said it, and Junhui furrowed his eyebrows.

“What do you mean?”

“I think you know.”

The car came to the edge of the woods, and he pushed the speed up to 65 this time. The conversation stopped, but Junhui’s mind didn’t stop spinning. Was Wonwoo talking about himself or something else? Why did it feel as if he was talking about Junhui, too? How much did he actually know? All of these questions and riddles gave him a headache.

Back inside the house, Wonwoo dug through the shopping bag to pull out a flashlight and a pack of batteries. He handed them to Junhui wordlessly, then went into the room where the meeting had been conducted last week. There, the lights were working, and he took a seat at the dusty table.

The objects hitting the wooden surface echoed through the large house. All Junhui knew from looking at him working was that he wanted to rewire the electrical circuit somehow. Maybe Wonwoo wasn’t satisfied with the power; Junhui had no idea.

Facing the small row of cabinets against the wall, he set the flashlight on top, and opened the box of batteries. He tried out the flashlight and realized that these batteries and light bulb burned at least twice as brightly as the ceiling chandeliers. He could see why Wonwoo would want to make modifications.

Finished with whatever he had been wiring, Wonwoo stood up and pushed the chair back in. He looked over his shoulder to find the other, and Junhui stepped forward with the flashlight.

“Thanks,” he muttered, taking it from him.

“Do you not have night vision?”

When Wonwoo turned to him with a dry look, Junhui backed off, shaking his head. He needs better control of his mouth filter. “I mean, uh. Do you need a hand?”

Shaking his head, he started for the hallway again. “No, it’s fine. It’ll just take a minute. In the meantime, don’t touch anything that needs electricity.” Then he was gone.

Not knowing what to do with himself while Wonwoo got the electricity sorted out, Junhui went to the nearest room to see if there was anything he could do. Everywhere he looked, though, there appeared to be half-finished jobs laying about. As if Wonwoo had decided to start on something, then stopped for fear he might finish it too quickly.

Junhui remembered how fast he’d gotten the new floor boards installed in the foyer. While most people took an entire day to just take the old floor apart and dispose of the pieces, he’d taken a weekend to start and finish the entire job. Same story with the wallpaper. In every room, a few feet of the wall had been cleaned, but the rest of the paper had been left untouched. In the kitchen, he’d taken over the job of removing the tiles, but the old cabinets still hung open without their doors. The nonfunctioning stove, he had pulled it away from the wall a few feet, but didn’t bother to transport it out of the room. It just stood there, taking up space.

As he scanned the messy kitchen, he wondered if Wonwoo did it on purpose. Prolonging the renovation so he would have an excuse to stay in Diamond Creek?

He admitted to coming here to find answers. Knowing that the people didn’t welcome him, Junhui could see why Wonwoo would need an excuse to stay in town and perhaps come across what he was looking for. Junhui just hoped that whatever came up didn’t lead back to him.

Going outside, Junhui decided to explore the back of the property for lack of anything better to do. Besides, by the looks of the yard, he’d bet his right shoe, there would come a few days dedicated to entirely to landscaping and trash-picking.

He started close to the house, going around the shrubs and trees, picking up empty bottles and plastic wrappers that must have collected from all those tours every Halloween season. Not to mention, carried by the wind from other places. The task made him feel like his four-year old self scavenging new areas for treasures.

As a kid, he loved digging through leaves and whatnot in hopes of finding fabulous treasure. Most of the time, all he ever found were coins, batteries, and paper clips. Although once, he did come upon a stash of what he thought were very cute tiny colorful balls. Of course, once Minghao and Mingyu realized that he had amassed about a cup worth of BBs, they took ownership, claiming Junhui would end up swallowing them on accident. That very afternoon, the pair of best friends shot themselves silly in the backyard. Aside from the BBs, he had also found quite a few of those little vending machines toys, one broken necklace, weird key chains, plastic rings, and a bunch of other nonsense. The box where he kept those things was somewhere in the barn at this point.

For the first few minutes exploring the Jeon House property, though, there wasn’t much to see. He kept the house in view as he headed toward the fringe of the woods, where the property line merged with the trees. Beneath his feet, he noticed wild strawberries growing and made sure to not step on them. About fifty feet in, his shoe kicked something that made a clinking sound. He surveyed his immediate proximity, then crouched down when he saw it.

It was a tiny glass flask, reddish in color once he dusted the dirt off of it. It couldn’t hold more than a few milliliters in volume, but it looked cool, like a miniature magical bottle. It had a cap, a long neck, and round bottom cut into wedges. With some effort, he managed to get the top open. It was empty, and he sniffed lightly to see if he could determine what was previously put in there. All he could smell was pine and dirt. Standing up, he shrugged and pocketed it, returning inside to dispose of the trash.

Wonwoo was nowhere in sight when he came in, but the house looked a lot brighter. If there was no grime encrusted on the outside of the glass shades, he was sure the chandeliers would have shone even more luminously.

He didn’t see Wonwoo anywhere, but he heard a hammer pounding somewhere upstairs, so he assumed Wonwoo was assembling the content of one of the boxes he bought. As for Junhui, he resumed his work on the wall, this time making sure he didn’t get the outlets wet.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

Thursday came around. Wonwoo had told him the day before that he had errands to run so he wouldn’t be home. In order words, Junhui had the day off. Seeing as he wasn’t scheduled to work at _Angel Wings’_ until Saturday, he decided to go to Minji’s Clearing.

Dr. Park Minji was Jaehyun’s mother, one of the people Junhui owed his life to. Also the reason for Jaehyun to want him dead. His mother passed away that year, because she had wanted to help a sick child.

Junhui has been young, so he didn’t remember much about her before he got infected. But he did know that she had been a very sweet and lovely woman. Whenever she came in to check up on him, she always made sure the child never knew how serious the illness was. She’d tell him stories of fairies, of magical lands where everything was beautiful. She had a soft voice, a warm smile, and brown eyes. Her hair was long and wavy, caramel colored. And she always smelled like flowers.

Once he had asked her about that, and she told him of this clearing. She called it her special thinking place, where she would go to just relax and unwind. She swore him to secrecy that day, making him promise not to tell anyone about it if she told him where it was because it was magical.

_“That’s where the fairies come to sing and dance at night, but I stumbled upon it once, and they’ve made me promise not to share it with anyone. But I can trust you, Junnie. You’re a good boy, and you’ll help me grow more pretty flowers when you get better, won’t you?”_

He never did get a chance to go there with her. Still, as he got older, he began to look for that place, although in the back of his mind he expected it to be just imaginary. Something she made up to comfort her young patient and prompt him to feel better. In the end, though, he followed her instructions—no matter how ambiguous they’d sounded—and he found the clearing. It was just as beautiful as she had described it to him. In turn, he’d kept her secret. No one knew of this place, not even Soonyoung.

Now every once in a while, Junhui would find the time to come visit it. He didn’t have the chance to know Dr. Minji as well as he could, but coming to her clearing was his only connection to her. He wished he could leave flowers at her grave, but he wasn’t welcomed there, and the least he did to upset Jaehyun, the better. Instead, he tried to show his gratitude by taking care of her clearing for her.

After Minghao drove Hyejin to town this morning, Junhui climbed on his bike and headed out. It wasn’t until halfway that he realized he forgot to bring a candle, so he swung into town. There was a coffee shop right next to the store, so he parked the bike and went inside for a milk tea.

Only to regret the second he pushed the door open.

Standing as a small group, Jaehyun and his friends talked among themselves as they waited for their orders in the corner. They were all too busy laughing loudly to pay any attention to people coming into the door, but the line was empty, so the guy behind the counter very casually called Junhui up as the next customer. Certainly, it didn’t help that the barista had to call him twice before Junhui could snap out of the stupor. That was what caught Jaehyun’s attention.

He didn’t say anything, merely glanced at Junhui indifferently, before returning to the conversation with his friends. Junhui let out a sigh of relief and went to order his drink. He really should have made a run for it, uncaring of making a fool of himself in front of the staff and Jaehyun’s gang. But he felt bad for the trainee working the register, so he sucked it up and endured.

As he paid, he heard the names of Jaehyun’s friends being called for their drinks, and he silently thanked the universe for allowing him the small reprieve.

“Rose: grande strawberry creme. Vince: black coffee with ice. Jiwon: grande caramel frappuccino.” The group moved up to get their drinks and straws, still as loud as ever.

Willing himself to be invisible, Junhui scooted to the side to avoid any and all of them. Vince Moor, the burly and loudmouth of the group, couldn’t bother to pay attention to his surrounding as he cracked crass jokes. His massive side bumped into Junhui, and his hand spilled half of the coffee on his own shirt.

“Fuck!” Vince hissed at the cold and wet sensation, turning around and shaking the liquid from his fingers. The string of obscene language stopped when he saw Junhui, only for him to groan. “Oh, for fuck’s sake, Wen! Can’t you watch where you’re going? How the hell am I supposed to get this shit out?” he bellowed at him.

Junhui felt his face growing warm, and he focused his gaze on his shoes. “I’m sorry, I didn’t—”

“God, I swear this kid is retarded or something,” he muttered, pulling the wet material away from his torso and grimacing at it.

Squeezing his eyes shut, Junhui took in deep breaths, shrinking even more onto himself.

“Guess the fever set in a little too high and burned off most of his brain,” a guy from the group guffawed, followed by the rest.

“Not like he had much to begin with.”

“He’s standing right there,” one of the girls tittered.

“And?” Vince glared at him. “What is he gonna do about it?”

“Come on, Vince,” Jaehyun’s deep and calm voice cut through his friend’s agitation. “You’re making a scene and making things difficult for the staff.” He patted Vince’s shoulder and chuckled. “It’s just a little spilled coffee. It’ll come out in the wash.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Vince mumbled, cutting his eyes at Junhui.

“Besides,” Jaehyun added with a short laugh. “It’s not like Wen killed your mother or anything.”

The whole coffee house turned dead quiet. Junhui began to shake, and his breath— along with everybody else’s—got caught somewhere in his throat. Jaehyun was the only one laughing. It sounded empty, void, and painful. It felt like ice.

Hesitantly, Junhui slowly raised his eyes to see him.

His brown eyes shot daggers at Junhui, and his grin twisted cruelly. “No harm done, Junhui,” Jaehyun said. “Enjoy your drink.”

The group left, and the door swinging close behind them broke up the suffocating silence. Eventually, all the normal chatter and clattering resumed. Junhui no longer wanted the milk tea, but the coward that he was, he stayed inside waiting for it. That way, by the time he went back out, he would be sure that Jaehyun and his friends had already left. The barista called his name, and he got his order. Like a robot, he grabbed a straw and napkins by the door and exited.

On the sidewalk, his bike had been flipped over. The paint was scratched, but thankfully the tires weren’t slashed, and the chain still remained. Truthfully, he half expected Jaehyun to have ordered them to run the bike over, or thrown it in the dumpster.

As he climbed on the seat, he looked across the street. Jaehyun was parked there, his window down, staring at him. Once he made sure that Junhui saw him and understood who trashed his bike, he drove off with a grin. Guess he was in a good mood today.

Junhui stood there for a moment, then headed out.

The clearing wasn’t far from here, relatively speaking. On the outskirts of town, instead of turning right toward the various houses, he took a left in the direction of the mountains and the creek that gave their town its name. A small trail lined the foot of the mountain that took him close to the woods and the creek. Once he passed the water, he turned right by the giant rock that was shaped like a carrot. Another fifteen minutes and he arrived at his destination.

Leaning his bike against the rocks, he reached into his backpack for the candle and lighter. Coming here felt like crossing into another world. As if once he stepped from the dirt road onto the green grass, he crossed the border from everyday to fairytale land. A world with no pain, no sadness, no judgment. Just the beauty and tranquility of nature, away from negativity.

As soon as he had started coming here, he’d understood why Dr. Minji had wanted to keep it a secret. If people knew of this place, it would lose its magic.

Junhui toed off his shoes and treaded on the soft grass, feeling the dew under his feet. Where the sun rays didn’t strike the grass yet, the blades were crisp and chilly. As he moved deeper in, the ground felt warmer under his soles, the drops of dew that earlier had twinkled like diamonds had now evaporated with the morning sun. Among the green blades were small, multicolored wildflowers, playing hide-and-seek as the breeze blew through them. Overhead, the large trees created a canopy of leaves that rustled like music as the wind blew through their branches, changing the shapes of the patches of sunlight on the ground. Everything was so calm that he could hear little creatures scampering around and in the trees, birds calling each other, singing their unique songs. Farther away, on the shrubs, bees and butterflies shared the flowers’ pollen. He even spotted a couple hummingbirds feeding. The wings of one of them caught a ray of sunlight, creating a little rainbow.

Smiling to himself, he inhaled deeply the smell of flowers, sunlight, and fresh air.

Over the first few visits, he’d found a couple round stones with somewhat of a flat surface. He had put them together, then set on top a tealight candle. He would stay in the clearing as long as it burned, both to make sure that he wouldn’t start a wildfire, and also out of respect for Dr. Minji. It became a little ritual from then on. Whenever he could fit it into his schedule, he’d have a moment of silence for her memory, for her sacrifice. And for his father.

At his grave, Junhui was welcome. But he never did have enough strength to go there alone. Hyejin went every month to clean the weeds around it and put new flowers. He’d tag along. Sometimes Minghao would come too, and that made it easier.

Now Junhui set the candle on the rock and lit it. Sitting back on his legs, he watched the flames dance, thinking of Dr. Minji, thinking of her son and his friends this morning.

No matter how hard Junhui tried, he couldn’t just forget and ignore the bullying. Jaehyun knew exactly what he was doing. Maybe if Junhui didn’t care so much to make amends, he wouldn’t be as cruel as he was. Because Junhui felt responsible, Jaehyun could make him miserable by saying things like that. If Junhui went around not giving a fig about what people thought of him and his family, maybe Jaehyun would have simply done something terrible to him once then stopped. Like getting all of his anger out, then grieve properly. But right now, he was still so angry that his grieving only worsened. That in turn made him bitter and cruel.

Some people thought Junhui made it too easy for the other boy to hate him, but Junhui couldn’t just pretend that the tragedy didn’t happen. He needed to make amends. Besides, he supposed that, deep down, Junhui thought putting up with Jaehyun’s caustic words and torment was the price he had to pay. And considering what Junhui took from him, Jaehyun mentally torturing him hardly counted.

A warm and wet drop hit his palm. He looked down, suddenly realizing his vision was swimming. He took in a shuddering breath and cleared his throat. Roughly, he wiped the errant tears away, thinking back on what Hyejin used to say to him to get him to stop crying when he was little: “ _Have you ever wondered why sometimes tears can save someone? Some people have magic in their tears, so don’t waste them crying over something that’s not worth it.”_

Since then, anytime his emotions got the better of him and he’d cry over something, he’d think about Hyejin’s words. Is it worth it? Is this worth his possibly magical tears? It was silly, he knew that. But it was difficult to get rid of a thought process from childhood.

The wax inside the little cup now resembled water, clear and liquid, revealing the wick of the candle. He stared at it, watching the ripples caused by the breeze breathing life into the little orange flame. Once the wax had burned halfway and wouldn’t be able to spill out of the cup, he leaned back into the grass. His muscles tensed, then slowly relaxed. The sun felt warm on his skin, and he closed his eyes for a moment.

The next thing he knew, a sudden tremor overtaking the ground stirred him awake. His eyes snapped open. For a moment, he felt completely disoriented, unsure of where he was and how long he’d been asleep. He sat up, dislocating a few blades of grass and wild flowers from his hair, tumbling into his lap. Picking the strange bouquet up, he noted that it didn’t seem like the twigs and stems had gotten stuck in his hair while he was lying down. More like as if they’d been picked up and tucked into his locks.

Scanning the surrounding, he saw no movement other than the wind. He checked the time on his phone. It was almost noon, making his nap last more than forty minutes. He’d never slept for this long here. _So strange_. Since he couldn’t locate anyone around, he had no choice but to surmise that the wind must have picked up the wild flowers, and they got stuck to his hair. Somehow.

The candle had been extinguished for some time now. The tin container only held a thin layer of white wax that had solidified again. He pocketed the used candle and grabbed his shoes. Dusting himself off, he walked back across the clearing toward his bike.

As he kicked away the stand and was about to mount the bike, he noticed the paint chips. Or rather, the lack of them. Scrunching his eyebrows together, he crouched down and examined both sides of the frame. Earlier, when Jaehyun and his friends knocked it over, the fall had caused several scruff marks. Now the frame was all smooth and shiny, almost brand-new. Through the spires of the front wheel, he stared at the shimmering sunlight shining across clearing again. _What was going on?_

Shaking his head, he climbed on and got going.

By the time he crossed the field where the creek was located, his shirt was clinging to his back by sweat. He stopped, running a hand through his hair, and took a swig of water before continuing into town. He had planned on going home and doing the laundry, but the heat was sure going to kill him before he got there. Instead, he decided to take refuge at the library for a couple hours, finding a good book to wait out the peak of the day’s heat.

The cold conditioned air hit him as soon as the glass doors slid open. Goosebumps rose up on his skin. As he glimpsed past the lobby, he saw a few students occupying the row of computers against the wall, while an older couple sat by the couches and listened to audiobooks. He walked through the metal detectors and turned left toward the fiction area. More readers populated this wing. After deciding on a fantasy-adventure book that apparently dealt with a heartless lord, he settled at an empty table.

Barely had he moved past the first chapter that loud chatter, followed by hushing sounds from people around, distracted him. When he looked up, he saw a group of boys walking along the wall, arguing (more quietly now) with each other. They were headed for one of the rooms reserved for meetings and/or study groups. Soonyoung was among them.

“I’m telling you,” he was telling Chan and Seungkwan, “it’s not gonna work.”

Hansol glanced at his notes, “But the numbers work out.”

“In theory, they do,” Soonyoung agreed, then went on, “But can you imagine the disaster if it bombs? We’d need a plan B. And if we’re already planning for an alternative, why bother with something we expect to fail?”

“Because there’s a chance that it’ll be so out there that everyone will be intrigued and come check it out,” Seungkwan retorted.

Sighing, Soonyoung shook his head, opening the door to the room. As he stood to the side to let the boys go in first, his eyes wandered over to where Junhui was sitting. Suddenly, his expression lit up, and he grinned wide enough to cause his eyes to disappear.

“Junnie! Come here!” He waved at him enthusiastically.

Junhui sighed, shaking his head slowly, not wanting to get involved in whatever they were fighting about, but Soonyoung was already making his way over. _Oh, boy._

“Hi…” Junhui said slowly.

“I know you don’t like taking sides—”

“Oh, good!” Junhui interrupted him, but was completely ignored.

“But we need someone to break the tie. So pleeeease.” Clasping his hands together, he put them against his chin, imploring his friend dramatically.

“Hoshi…” Groaning, Junhui thumped his forehead on the table in resignation, free hand already closing the book. Soonyoung grinned, jumping to his feet and led the way to the meeting room.

“I love you.”

Junhui snorted and hip-checked him, but he was grinning, too.

The younger boys looked over, stopping their conversation for a minute to say hi to him. “I just want to let you know that I am here against my will,” Junhui informed them, and they laughed, welcoming him into the meeting regardless.

“As usual,” Soonyoung pushed his chair closer, “I found the potential solution to our dilemma: an unbiased third party.” He waved his arm in a flourish toward the other Gemini twin.

Seungkwan raised an incredulous eyebrow. “Moon Jun’s your best friend. How is that an unbiased party?”

Soonyoung stuck out his tongue, and they laughed.

Seungkwan, Chan, and Hansol all went to high school with him and Soonyoung, although a year younger. Their families were among the few who stayed friends with Hyejin after the incident. The group didn’t hang out much nowadays because of jobs and school, but they had shared so many classes together over the years, the distance and time hardly made a difference in their dynamics.

“So what’s this meeting about?” Junhui asked, peeking over Hansol’s notebook.

“We’re planning the activities for the summer fest,” Chan said. “And we’ve hit a road block.”

“Mainly Soonyoung not wanting to try things out,” Seungkwan added with a huff, blowing the blond bangs out of his eyes.

“It’s not that I don’t want to try things out,” Soonyoung argued. “I just don’t want our efforts to all go to waste in the end.”

Junhui moved his eyes from Seungkwan to Soonyoung sitting at opposite ends of the table, then directed his gaze on Hansol and Chan in the middle. “What’s the issue?”

“There’s only enough money for one more activity,” Hansol told him. “And they’ve been fighting about it for days.”

“What do you have so far?”

Hansol pushed his notebook toward him as Chan began to go over the different events and planning stages going with each.

Every summer, Diamond Creek held this festival starting a week or two after July 4th, going all the way to the end of August. All the proceeds went into a trust fund of some sort. The money was used for things that the usual taxes and federal grants didn’t cover. When they were in fourth grade, some of the money was used to fund the field trip to the zoo at the end of the year for the entire school, since they had all improved on their standardized tests, resulting in the school reaching its goal for the year. Before that, the money was allocated to save a historical landmark. Apparently, when Junhui was in first grade, Minghao remembered the town buying the piece of land that Diamond Creek, the actual creek, was laying on from a private firm that wanted to turn it into some agricultural field.

So the festival had more significance to Diamond Creek than for the town and its people to have fun. It was a month-long fundraiser.

As Junhui scanned Hansol’s notebook, he recognized the yearly contributions in the form of booths and kiosks selling foods and merchandise, organized contests of all sorts, play performances and movie showings, the carousel, ferris wheel, and other rides. Included in the list of potential ideas were: a petting zoo, auctions (normal, silent, date), and workshops.

“The date auction is the one in question,” he was informed by Chan.

“Date auction,” he repeated, looking up to meet everyone’s gazes. “Like, people bidding for girls? Isn’t that a little... sexist?”

Soonyoung was trying to be discreet, but Junhui saw it from the corner of his eye. Soonyoung could have burst out of joy at his response. It didn’t take more than that to determine his twin’s take on the matter.

“It wouldn’t be just girls,” Seungkwan explained. “We’d make it coed, on a volunteer-basis, with consent forms. And they’re not even real date-dates.”

“Oh.” Junhui mulled that over for a second. “Would it cost very much?”

“Minimal,” Seungkwan said. “The stage would already be there from the plays, together with the tables and chairs.”

“And there’s enough money for everything else?”

“Yeah, pretty much. We’ll only need to provide the tents and tables, the set up for kiosks and booths, call for the staging company, and get the rides installed. The people are donating their own products and goods.”

“I see. Then has there been volunteers for the date auction yet?” he wanted to know. They glanced at each other.

Hansol scratched his hair. “They never got over the hurdle of yes or no, so we haven’t even asked around yet.”

“Well.” He thought about it some more, tapping his chin. “To play devil’s advocate: if there was a known number of people willing to do it—and it’s enough to warrant all the work—then I think it’s worth moving forward with the idea. Otherwise, it’d be a waste of time and energy… Right?” he looked at them sheepishly, a little nervous at all the attention directed toward him.

The group considered this, then Chan grabbed the notebook across the table to jot down a memo in the margins.

“We could be in it,” Seungkwan said aloud, his eyes to the ceiling as he thought aloud.

“Um, what?” Hansol, seemingly a little distressed, asked with wide eyes. “You want us to be on stage for people to bid for a date with us?”

“Sure, why not?” Seungkwan shrugged. “We’re fun and cool. Who wouldn’t want to date us?”

“Aren’t we already dating?” Poor Hansol was so confused, and so was Junhui.

Seungkwan swatted his arm lightly. “Nonie, were you not listening earlier? They’re not real dates. Relax. Plus,by being there ourselves, we could enlist more ‘date’ participants. You know, give the other volunteers more confidence and stuff.”

“Do I really have to?” Hansol hesitated, making a face. Junhui could relate to the feeling, only too glad for once that he wasn’t particularly liked among the population, thus giving him a free ticket out of this volunteer opportunity.

Unsure how to help his favorite dongsaeng out of this pickle, he made eye contact with Soonyoung, then glanced at Hansol. Like he knew his friend would, Soonyoung came to the rescue.

“No worries, Nonie. Since we’ll have to be the first guinea pigs, you and Junhui can help taking track of the bids.”

“Yes!” Hansol jumped in before Junhui could express his surprise.

Since their senior and junior year, the boys had been given the job of organizing this fair. Other than offer unofficial help behind the scenes like right now, Junhui had never done much more. He wasn’t so sure it was a good idea having him sit there this year, considering the rumors going around with Wonwoo. He didn’t want the event to fail and his friends’ work to go down the drain just because people had issues with him.

“Awesome~ We’re gonna do such a good job, you don’t even know!” Hansol grinned, endearing lopsided grin full on display. Junhui had to admit, the sight and the younger’s comforting arm around his neck did help lessen the worry a little.

Chuckling, Seungkwan turned to the oldest. “We should get you to attend our meetings more often, Moon Junnie. This is probably the most productive we’ve been at one sitting.”

“Shouldn’t we thank me, then?” Soonyoung kid. “ _I_ found him.”

Seungkwan rolled his eyes, shaking his head with a smile. “Sure sure. Thank you very much, O Hamster Prince.”

“It’s Tiger Prince!”

They all laughed while Soonyoung pretended to be miffed, only to burst out laughing a second later.

For the next couple hours, they got around to making lists of things each one of them had to do by the established dates. Junhui gave minor inputs, then received a brief overview of his duties during the festival this year. With more events, they explained, the more people they needed to help out.

“Besides, it’s a lot easier to persuade you to join than some other person,” Soonyoung had pointed out. “Plus, we trust you. And you’re good at your job. Unlike last year’s volunteers.”

One by one, Chan, Hansol, and Seungkwan split up. After Junhui had been dismissed, he went back to his book, so he didn’t particularly pay attention to where each one of them went. Most likely to go talk to the main coordinator and the individual people contributing to the events. When only Soonyoung and him remained, the former looked up from his phone at him, and asked casually, “So how’s the renovation work going at the house?”

Shrugging, Junhui turned the page, feeling his stomach doing a weird flip. Talking about the house reminded him of Wonwoo’s scrutiny into his past. That unsettled him, but Junhui hadn’t said anything to anyone yet. “It’s going fine.”

“Uh-oh.” Soonyoung clicked his tongue. “Sounds like there’s some unresolved issues. Spill the deeds!”

Laughing nervously, he pressed his hands over his face. “I sort of broke the electricity on Tuesday,” he cringed, stalling.

“You did what? How does one ‘break’ the electricity?”

“By spilling water into an outlet while cleaning the wall from the wallpaper glue.”

Shaking his head, Soonyoung looked up to the ceiling and laughed. “Wow. Has he reconsidered having you help out with the repairs yet? Sounds like he might get things done a lot faster without having to fix what you’re accidentally destroying,” he laughed some more, and Junhui smiled.

If only Soonyoung knew how fast Wonwoo could work. Junhui didn’t tell him of his theory, because Soonyoung would start wondering how Wonwoo could move so fast, which would ultimately lead back to the first encounter with him. Junhui swallowed.

“So far, he’s been rather civil,” he said instead.

“Civil?” Soonyoung arched a brow. “Is that a nice way for you to say he’s a cold jerk?”

“How can someone be a jerk if he’s civil?” he wondered.

Soonyoung shrugged. “He can be polite and following the rules of proper etiquette, but it doesn’t mean that he can’t still be a jerk.”

“Oh. Well, I wouldn’t go that far. He doesn’t say much.”

“Ahh...” he nodded appreciatively. “A man with little to say.”

After staying silent for a minute, Junhui spoke up again. “There is one thing, though...” Then he stopped, chewing his bottom lip.

“What’s wrong?” his friend studied him, concern evident.

Lowering his voice, he scooted his chair closer and asked, “What if Wonwoo finds out what happened to me that year?” Junhui met his friend’s eyes, which widened considerably.

“Did something happen?”

“Not exactly... he just mentioned that he suspects I had something to do with the Jeon murders, which I know sounds crazy but what if…?” Junhui told him in a nutshell about the conversation that day outside the hardware store.

Soonyoung was pensive for a second, gathering his thoughts, then asked, “Could he just be a little freaked out from hearing all those things the Gossip Brigade is spewing out? Maybe he’s just trying to shake you up to see what you’d reveal, see if the rumors he heard are true and stuff. I mean, he probably gets the fact that people are weird with him because of his name and the history behind it. But hearing about your ‘gory’ details might be a little unnerving for him.”

Ordinarily, Soonyoung would have a point; however, Jeon Wonwoo was the one with the fangs and deadly stare. None of the rumors about Junhui could even compare to that.

“Maybe,” he answered absentmindedly. “I just don’t want him to get too close to the truth. All Diamond Creek knows is that since that day, I’m the freak who callously took away his father’s and Dr. Minji’s lives. They all give me that _look_ as if I didn’t already feel remorseful enough. And even though most of them are curious as to what actually happened, they’d rather live in the dark in order to keep their sanity and their town safe.” Soonyoung nodded. “Whereas Jeon Wonwoo has nothing to lose. What’s stopping him from selling his discoveries to some magazine? And soon, I’ll be taken to some lab to be cut open.”

Patting his hand gently, Soonyoung made him look at him. With a smile, he squeezed his friend’s hand. “It’s not gonna happen, Jun. Just keep a low profile and don’t do anything weird, well, _too_ weird.”

“Hey…”

Soonyoung chuckled, glad to see the little smile on Junhui’s face. “If he asks around, all he’s gonna get is what you just spelled out—rumors and the generic explanation of what happened: you got sick, a couple people caught the bug, but they didn’t pull through. You survived. Besides, with his track record, I doubt he’ll get much out of anyone.”

When Junhui sighed, he added, “There’s only a couple plausible scenarios: either he runs into the Parks and the sort, or your mom’s friends. The first group wouldn’t give him the time of day, so no problem there. The rest is on your side; the last thing they’re gonna do is throw you to the wolf.” He chuckled, and Junhui smiled nervously.

“Low profile, huh?”

“Yeah. Just pretend he’s any other person. He’ll lose interest in you soon enough.”

Junhui blew out a breath and leaned his head on Soonyoung’s shoulder. “I hope so,Hoshi. That house is far from being done.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We finally got to know a little bit of what happened to Junnie! but obviously, there's more to it than that... -_- I promise we'll get to the full truth. Wonwoo would very much like to find out more too 👀 I hope it wasn't a big letdown. Imagine the GUILT eating at Junnie, though... Even if we don't know the full story yet, Jun believes he caused his dad's and doctor's DEATHS (what a nice change from Wonu being the one harboring guilt over ppl's deaths 😅)
> 
> Park Jaehyun though... 😒 you fcking bastard. in case you couldn't tell, he will play a pretty important role. 
> 
> Also, i apologize if this chapter was kinda boring (again lol). It'll pick up soon. Next chapter is a little shorter bc it's a Wonu POV, so i'll post it in a few days. 
> 
> As always, thank you very much for reading, and i hope to see you on the next update! ( ⸝⸝•ᴗ•⸝⸝ )੭⁾⁾  
> xoxoxo


	6. History

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo reflects on the past few days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello~ 
> 
> so as promised, here's a short Wonwoo POV. It should add _some_ insight to the events so far, but of course, not everything is explained quite yet lol. Still, i hope that you're continuing to enjoy the story despite its shortcomings.
> 
> -

 

_June_

 

 

The first night Wonwoo arrived at the Jeon House, he couldn’t sleep. Everywhere he looked, there was some remnant of the past, of what Mikyung and Taeseung had done after they betrayed their families and people. They were traitors and cowards.

Running away from it all to come here and blend in with the humans. But they never could fit in. One look at the location said it all. They were isolated as much as they isolated themselves from Diamond Creek. Afraid of what they were, afraid of becoming what they should have been. Afraid of what people might see if they let their guards down.

Fear.

Jeon Taeseung used to be the one that evoked it, the one in control of it. Others used to cower at the mere mention of his name. He had an entire kingdom at his feet, dedicated to him, ready to serve him.

Then he gave it all away for one person. One pathetic human: Do Mikyung. It didn’t take long before he turned against his people for her, killed for her, renounced his family for her, rejected his true identity for her.

Only to be ultimately destroyed by her.

The mere thought of having her blood run in his own veins made Wonwoo sick.

He may have both of their bloods coursing through his body, but history was not going to repeat itself. He will bring back what Taeseung lost, and redeem the Jeon name.

 

Anger and insomnia fueled his energy for the next couple days, resulting in the renovation of this house to go much faster than Wonwoo had expected. Before he knew it, the moldy and termite-infested wood planks had been replaced by new ones. He knew he had to slow down, otherwise he’d be done with this project within a couple weeks. Without the remodeling, he wouldn’t have a legitimate reason for staying in town, which would make it difficult for him to gather the necessary information.

As much as he wanted to rebuild this house and cleanse it from its past as fast as possible, his mission took priority. Neither the house nor Wen Junhui could distract him from what he came here to do. Evidently, matters were trickier to maneuver now that he screwed up, letting the boy catch him in the middle of the kill. He’d been sloppy. Spending the entire day playing the role of the dutiful nephew and charming newcomer had driven him up the wall. The pretense, suffocating. When he heard the buck grazing in the nearby woods, he’d jumped at the chance to unleash the restlessness in his muscles, hoping the adrenaline from the hunt would assuage his irritation.

But he miscalculated. He’d told the others to return inside due to a possible coyote roaming around, not expecting Junhui to wander outside mere seconds later.

Wonwoo should have killed the kid that night. Just another pitiful human that ventured where he shouldn’t have. He’d been aware of Junhui’s presence long before the latter realized he wasn’t alone. At the time, Junhui had still been trying to navigate in the dark, too distracted. Too vulnerable.

Were Wonwoo to have leapt forward and caught him, Junhui wouldn’t even have had the time to process the attack. Quick and painless.

Instead, Wonwoo had told himself to wait for the boy to walk that one extra step, forhis human eyes to take a second longer to adjust to the darkness.

Nothing could match the indescribable satisfaction of seeing the utter fear and terror overtaking his prey’s entire slim frame. Watching as the blood drained from his face, trembles wracking his limbs to the point that he dropped his flashlight. Wonwoo saw the monster that he was reflected back at him through Junhui’s wide eyes, and he grinned.

Once the kid had run inside, it barely took any time at all for Wonwoo to come up with a solution to this small mistake. While Junhui may know of his condition now, he still held the human’s life in his hands.

Certainly, any decent person would feel ashamed of exploiting such an innocent boy’s fear to his own advantage and benefits, but then again... Who said Wonwoo was a decent person?

 

It did get a little complicated, but not impossible to evade, when Minsoo stopped by the house on Monday morning. The hunt had been messy, and he’d underestimated Junhui’s attention to detail.

He had assumed that his little volunteer would still be too nervous and scared to be anywhere near him to notice much. At least Junhui didn’t scream when he saw the bloody cloth used to clean up the trail of yet another deer. He probably would have snapped his neck then and there had the kid uttered a sound.

There was simply something so helpless when a person screams or cries that drove him insane. Probably a remnant of a family trait. It was said that Taeseung never killed civilians, unless absolutely necessary. When that time came, he would insure that the deed was quick and painless. All to avoid their screams and cries.

 

On his second day on the job, Junhui managed to convince himself that he, somehow single-handedly, ruined the entire house’s electrical grid. Wonwoo tried to tell him it was bound to happen sooner or later with these old fuses, but he could still see the weight of the responsibility sagging the younger’s shoulders. That was the first time Wonwoo noticed that Junhui carried more on himself than any other kid his age. It was subtle. If Wonwoo hadn’t paid close attention, he probably wouldn’t have picked it up. Junhui disguised it well with his cheerful disposition and positive outlook. But not well enough.

During the short time that Wonwoo spent in Diamond Creek, his arrival had been the topic of many conversations. As if he really needed old, garrulous busybodies discussing his family’s history. But while he tried not to hear their incessant chatter, one story did hold his attention: Wen Junhui’s past.

That was the key to why he always seemed to flinch when people passed by him in the street, why his shoulders sagged under some invisible weight. Of course, he’d play it off quickly, a smile here, a giggle there.

Junhui did something a decade ago, and that had led Diamond Creek—at least some of its inhabitants—to treat him like a pariah. Now that Wonwoo was in town, that gossip-hungry Yoon Gyeongja jumped at the chance to group whatever happened to Junhui with the Jeon murders.

He, himself, had no concrete evidence as to what happened to Taeseung and Mikyung that day, other than what everyone knew—after Taeseung and the unidentified male were killed, Mikyung lost her mind, then later died in the cell they kept her in before the case even went to trial. Their baby boy went missing, and no one knew what happened to him.

What most people didn’t know was that the Clan saved the infant and claimed him as their own, despite Taeseung’s betrayal. They nourished and raised the boy. A century later, give or take, here Wonwoo stood in the house that started it all. Coming full circle.

While the reason for his presence here had little to do with the murders, he couldn’t stop himself from wondering what could have led up to that night.

Growing up, he heard several stories. One claimed that Mikyung’s past caught up with her. The true murderer knew her, and he killed Taeseung and the second man. Some believed she was involved in helping the crime, others accused her of not warning Taeseung on time. Whatever happened, everyone agreed that she was at the very least partially at fault for the death of her husband and the unidentified male.

Being in their house now, and seeing the evidence of what appeared as a happy life before everything fell apart, Wonwoo wanted to know more.

No amount of time spent here would ever be enough for him to forgive what they did the day they abandoned Taeseung’s home and his people, but Wonwoo still wanted answers. There were too many holes in the history that he’d been forced to learn. Somewhere hidden, the secrets of both of his ancestors’ downfalls remained. And if some of those puzzle pieces were linked to Junhui, he’ll be sure to find out one way or another.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooo... we still don't know _what_ wonwoo is 😅 but it's on purpose bc i want us to find out at the same time (or close) to when junnie finds out. 
> 
> and just to clarify, Minjoo is the girl who ran out of the house in ch. 4. we'll see her more in ch. 9 (i think...)
> 
> umm, next chapter should be a bit more exciting, so i hope to see you on thursday for that! (◠‿◠✿)
> 
> Thank you very much for reading!  
> xoxoxo


	7. Heat Wave

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WonHui come upon an injured cat, and Jun gets into trouble

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, _some_ excitement! 
> 
> just fyi that diamond creek is somewhere in the us. july 4th is mentioned, that's why i had to make a little note. so if you're among the ppl who get really annoyed at westernized fics, i apologize... (i swear it's not a giant BBQ bash with guy fieri or something... -_-) 
> 
> and i apologize for wacky bio and physics. trust me, i know it's not logical. pls bear with me and blame it on the supernatural~ elements lol. 
> 
> Warning: BLOOD
> 
> ANYWAY. i hope you enjoy!
> 
> -

  

 

This was hell. Or at least, what hell must be like, Junhui imagined.

A major heat wave had descended on the region late last night. He’d woken up this morning practically drenched in sweat, and dawn had barely broken over the horizon then. The air conditioning unit had grumbled loudly when he’d cranked the power on maximum. The indoor temperature barely turned tolerable by the time they all left for work.

Now standing outside, Junhui’s temples thumped loudly, and he whined softly as he fidgeted. Everything felt dry and sticky at the same time. The arid wind blew dirt everywhere, making his skin feel like a potato chip even with the sunscreen applied every couple hours. He’d come prepared with one of Minghao’s bucket hats and a new bottle of sunscreen. They only protected him from actually frying in the sun, though. The protection did very little when it came to withstanding the heat, which probably had risen to the 100s now, unsurprisingly. Usually, he really enjoyed the sunshine and summer weather. But this was torture.

Today, he was on window duty, as opposed to yard cleaning, which Wonwoo was working on at the moment. By now, he’d already finished the outside windows on the first floor. Climbing a little higher on the ladder, he started on the second story. From this height, he could see Wonwoo over the side of the house, switching from a rake to garden shears. The older worked meticulously, alternating between the tools like a well-oiled machine.

First he’d cleared a path through the rampant shrubs and weeds, then he’d cut off everything that outgrew their limits. Next, he had gathered the leaves and branches into a neat pile, and moved on to a new patch of land. Already, he’d filled up two full trashcans and set them to the side. At this rate, he might have to request another one to fit all the yard debris.

Wiping another bead of perspiration from his forehead, Junhui turned back to his task. He had just sponged the last drop of soapy water from the glass, when he heard a startled mewl, followed by some growling. Whipping around fast enough to nearly knock the ladder over and fling himself off, he barely managed to hold on. His heart raced from the adrenaline, but he swallowed and craned his neck toward the other side of the house.

Wonwoo still stood where Junhui had last seen him; however, he wasn’t moving anymore. He held the rake at his side, attention focused in the direction of where the iron gate was fastened to the brick wall. Apart from the wild vegetation, Junhui couldn’t make out anything. Maybe he heard wrong, he thought, ready to turn back to the window.

At that moment, the pained sound echoed across the yard again, and the bushes moved in response. Some kind of animal must be there. Junhui glanced back at Wonwoo, but the latter seemed hardly fazed by whatever creature hid there.

The squeegee and sponge hit the bucket with a low clang, as Junhui hooked the handle on the side of the ladder. He climbed down and walked cautiously toward the other.

When he got to him, Wonwoo didn’t acknowledge the younger’s presence. Junhui followed his gaze and realized what the commotion was about. A cat and her two kittens were huddled in that bush. He was about to call out to her in excitement, but upon closer inspection, she seemed hurt. Her kittens sniffed around them, unsure what to do, mewling softly. The mama cat must have been the one who yelped earlier.

“What happened to her?” Junhui asked him, still watching the mother struggle to stand up. “She looks in pain.”

“She panicked when she heard me coming with the rake,” he explained in an even voice. “She tried to throw herself through the opening of the gate, but her leg caught on something. It’s probably broken.” His voice sounded so apathetic; it was as if he were telling Junhui that the sky is blue.

Eyes wide, Junhui stared at him.

“We can’t just stand here. We’ve got to help her.” He took charged forward. His foot hadn’t even hit the ground that Wonwoo grabbed the top of his arm and yanked him back. It didn’t hurt, but it startled a gasp out of him. “Wha—”

“Do you not see her teeth and claws? Or hear her growl?” Wonwoo demanded, glaring at him now. “This isn’t some kid movie where the injured animal can just sense your good intentions, your _kindness_ ,” he spit the last word out. Junhui shrank back at the sudden aggression. “This is real life. The first thing a scared and injured animal will do when you get close is attack.” He let go of his arm, and Junhui stumbled backward.

After a heartbeat passed with only the sounds of hissing and leaves shuffling under the litter’s paws, Junhui grew restless. “Are we just going to stand here and do nothing?”

“She’ll get tired soon enough,” he said.

Junhui’s eyes couldn’t turn away from them, even when it was so hard to watch. She was covered in twigs and small leaves, with mud caked on her fur, but he could tell she was an orange tabby cat . Her kittens were of a lighter color, aimlessly wandering around the area. She was still trying to protect them even in her current condition, lips pulled back to reveal her teeth, fur puffed out. Her eyes shifted from Wonwoo to Junhui, then back to the former. The low snarl resonated deep in her throat. She looked feral, but she was also terrified. Every time she tried to move, she’d to crumple to the ground, yelping again. Junhui whimpered in sympathy. It was her back leg, he realized. It probably caught a thick vine or something, and when she tried to run, her leg snapped.

“What if she gets even more hurt?” Junhui asked aloud, feeling so powerless.

“She won’t,” Wonwoo replied coldly, still watching them.

Very painstakingly, she tried to get up again. Then fell. Reflex took over, and Junhui moved forward, but Wonwoo stopped him with his arm out. “If you can’t handle it, go inside.”

He took another glance at the kitties, then at Wonwoo.

“But—”

“Junhui.”

With a sigh, the boy turned around, shoulders slumped. He kicked a pebble.

On his way, he picked up the bucket with the supplies and went inside to clean the windows indoors. Wonwoo was such a dictator. _Jerk._

 

Later that afternoon, when Junhui got to the row of windows that overlooked the yard, he peered out, hoping to see something that would ease his conscience. All he saw was Wonwoo working again, at the same pace, only now there were more piles of branches and leaves laying about. There was no sign of the kitties, as if they hadn’t been there in the first place. Disheartened, Junhui picked up the product bottle and sprayed the suds all over the glass pane, covering what he wished he could’ve seen.

Junhui looked for them again as he waited in the yard for Minghao to come take him home. Wonwoo had moved on to the other side of the house, leaving the area deserted. And deserted it was because there really was no sign of the animals. Apart from the few twigs and leaves here and there, that corner was trimmed, and a path was cleared.

Carefully, Junhui approached the wall where the gate was fixed to. Although the grass was cut and the vines pulled off of the walls, there was still a small patch where the kitties’ weights had left an impression. Sighing, he glanced around once more, hoping that wherever they had gone to, they were all right.

Since he still had some time, Junhui decided to gather the larger twigs laying around. Knowing himself, he’d probably end up tripping over one of them and fall head first. His mind wasn’t particularly paying attention, so when a lizard—which had mostly likely been sunbathing—suddenly scurried away, the movement startled a yelp out of him. He jumped back and landed on his backside. His phone fell out of his pocket.

“Oww!” he groaned with a pout. “Stupid lizard,” he muttered. There was just something so creepy about them and the way they moved. Shuddering, he got up to dust himself off. When he crouched down to pick up his phone, he noticed a small piece of fabric half-hidden underneath a giant maple leaf. Curious, he grabbed his phone then lifted the leaf off.

It wasn’t a piece of fabric, but a little doll made of cloth and wool. She fit in the palm of his hand. Her body was made from different pieces of cotton, and she felt soft. She wore a blue polka dot dress, no shoes. Her hair looked like dark and somewhat coarse, wool yarn. This little doll was obviously homemade. Her face wore neither a happy nor sad expression, created by a few strands of colored string. Junhui wondered where she could come from. He doubted Wonwoo was the sort of person to collect dolls, much less homemade ones. Moreover, from the looks of her, she’d been left out here in the dirt for a while. Her clothes felt crisp, and the colors were bleached by the sun. She was also covered in dust; just holding her had turned his fingertips dirty.

Minghao’s gentle nudge of the horn made Junhui look over his shoulder. He straightened up and pocketed the doll into his shorts, then jogged to the truck.

 

Saturday came around, and the heat wave did not let up. Some were overjoyed at that fact, thinking it was perfect weather for the 4th of July, which was coming up in a couple days. Junhui really enjoy the hot weather now and then, but if the forecast was accurate, this wave was going to stay with Diamond Creek for at least a week. Other than the electrical bill piling up, he would have to endure longer meetings of the Gossip Brigade during his shifts. Since the weather was so unforgiving, the ladies spent a lot more time inside to enjoy the cool air, which meant more time for talking behind people’s backs.

He really needed to remember to bring his earphones.

“Don’t these people have better things to do?” Jeonghan muttered with distaste, eyeing his mother’s friends. “You’d think that they would learn by now that they all secretly hate each other.”

Junhui had no idea how to respond, so he just laughed and shrugged. “Maybe they get too excited and forget.”

“I can’t wait until karma hits them,” Jeonghan snickers, unloading a box of Otter-Pops into the freezer. “Barbara Hopkins has been boasting about a new boy toy, which of course just made Eleanor Moor hate her guts even more. So she paid the guy off to start dating her instead.” He snorted. “And yet look at them,” he waved in the general direction of the front. “All those fake smiles and pleasantries. Makes me sick.”

At that moment, the woman in question walked past them, catching the last of Jeonghan’s comment. In retrospect, Jeonghan probably spoke loud enough for her to hear the entire rant. Junhui avoided eye contact to minimize the awkwardness, despite the fact that he hadn’t even said much. He considered climbing into the freezer and hibernate all summer to avoid his problems.

Jeonghan turned to look at the woman directly, unflinching. “You really have no shame, do you? No wonder your husband left you.”

Gasping, Mrs. Moor gaped at him. “How dare you—”

“How dare _I?_ ” Jeonghan scoffed, his kind features morphing into contempt as he set his jaw. “You ask me that when you wished Cheol would run out of business? Or have you forgotten how you laughed at Shua’s misfortune? Every week, you come into this store and sneer and mock the Wen family to Junhui’s face and you ask how _I_ dare to call you out? Just because you lead a pathetic life doesn’t give you the right to make everyone else miserable.”

Junhui jolted, not expecting his friend to defend him in such a bold manner. He screwed his eyes shut, resisting the urge to hide behind his hands.

Flushed, Mrs. Moor huffed, then quickly made her way through the small crowd forming by the fruits on sale. The customers there, no doubt, heard more or less of this.

“That was... kind of mean, Hannie,” Junhui said, watching the woman walk briskly away. Despite her bad manners and poisonous tongue, he still felt unsettled at seeing how upset she departed.

Shrugging, Jeonghan cut open another box. “I’m just speaking to her as she portrays herself. Behave appropriately, and I’ll treat you appropriately.”

After a second of working quietly, Junhui commented, “I thought you were supposed to be an angel, Hannie.”

“I am!” he replied, smiling brightly. Then he narrowed his eyes and smirked. “An angel of chaos.”

Junhui couldn’t help it. He burst out into giggles, and Jeonghan joined him. The older patted his head fondly and gave him an Otter-Pop.

“Here. Go on break, you deserve it, Junnie.”

“Yay!” He grinned. “Thank you!”

The afternoon passed uneventfully. They were kept busy a little more than usual due to customers coming to get supplies for their parties. Even Hyejin called at one point, asking him to grab a few items for theirs. Although Junhui used the word ‘party’ loosely as it would only be composed of the three of them enjoying the evening out in the yard grilling foods.

Together with the spices and cuts of meat that she specified, Junhui also bought a pack of hotdogs and some beef patties in case her steaks ended up combusting on the grill. Again. Hotdogs and hamburgers: nothing beat the classics.

As Junhui grabbed his bag from the lockers after closing time, Mrs. Yoon came in to lock the back door. That was a job he could easily get done, but unfortunately, he was not trusted with the store keys. As if he’d really break in here to steal jelly snacks or something.

“Junhui, you’ll come to work on the fourth, won’t you?” she asked in her practiced ‘friendly’ voice.

“Well, I...” Really, Junhui tried to decline. But darn his inability to actually put it into words. Even worse that the person asking was Mrs. Yoon, someone he’d rather not upset or displease if he could help it.

“I thought we were coming to my house for the barbecue.” Jeonghan sauntered into the room, untying his employee apron.

“We are,” Mrs. Yoon confirmed with a smile.

“Then why are you opening the store on that day?” he wondered.

“Not the whole day,” Mrs. Yoon said. “Just until noon.”

“What’s the point? The only people who are gonna show up are the ones with nothing to do, coming to escape from the heat via your air conditioning unit. Don’t you remember what happened last year? Supposedly, you were closing at noon. You came back at five.” Jeonghan blinked. “Things happen, and once a crowd forms, it’s not easy telling them to leave, especially if they claim they’re here to buy something.”

Mrs. Yoon sighed. “Fine, I won’t open at all that day.”

After she left, Jeonghan whispered to him, “Don’t be surprised if you come into town and still see this place open anyway. Few things make my mother happy. Money is one of them.”

On the way home, Junhui wondered if Wonwoo expected him to show up on the holiday. They’d been working together for a week now, and yet Junhui still couldn’t figure him out. Whether he came to work or not didn’t seem to bother Wonwoo. In the morning, when he saw the volunteer, he’d put him to work. At the end of the day, Junhui just left. He knew that Wonwoo didn’t necessarily need him there in order to get the work done, but he didn’t turn down the help, either. Junhui supposed he should just come right out and ask Wonwoo next week about the holiday.

Hyejin was already cooking by the time he got home. The dinner table was set for two, so he assumed Minghao wasn’t coming in to eat with then. He’d seen the truck in the driveway, with paint cans in the trunk, which could only mean two things. One, his artistic muse had called to him, or two, someone had ordered another painting. Either way, they probably won’t see his brother inside the house for some time. Junhui also had to remind himself not to freak out if he heard or saw someone walking downstairs in the middle of the night. Because of course, that had happened a few years ago, when Minghao was commissioned to paint the landscapes for Dr. Lee’s office. Junhui’s scream had woken Hyejin up, and Minghao still claimed Junhui nearly turned him half-deaf.

“Hi, Mama,” Junhui called as he tried to find room in the fridge for the food. The cold air felt so good, he almost didn’t want to close it.

“Hi! Oh, thank you,” she exclaimed with a laugh, seeing his struggle at finding a spot big enough for the meat in her packed fridge and freezer. “It’s so hot, I was thinking of something light for dinner.”

“Like what?” he asked, peering around her to see.

“Grilled chicken and salad.”

With a laugh, he asked, “Are you trying to lure Hao in for dinner?”

She chuckled, too. “Well, if it works, I won’t be disappointed.”

Junhui prepared the salad as she got the chicken out to grill. There was a lightness to her lately, now that she had gotten an official start date at the museum. Currently, she was still managing the library, but by the third week of the month, she will go on to work at Yabbay Museum. She was looking to hire someone as manager. A few have turned up, and from what he knew, they were all good candidates. So with all of that happening, he didn’t want to bring up the fact that he was afraid Wonwoo might be trying to investigate him. Besides, as Soonyoung said, all Junhui had to do was lay low and wait for the older’s interest to move on. Junhui could do that. He’d spent most of his life trying to blend into the background, and for the most part, he was pretty good at it.

 

A very hot Sunday passed where Junhui locked himself inside the house and didn’t come out unless absolutely necessary. Several times during the day, he’d glance out his window to see Minghao moving about on the top floor of the barn. Junhui wondered how his brother could withstand the heat.

Being merely a storage unit (and his studio), the barn didn’t have any kind of heating or air conditioning. Hyejin had insisted on getting one installed after Minghao had spent an entire November week out there and contracted pneumonia. He’d convinced her it was a waste of money, promising he wouldn’t spend so much time out there during the extreme weather conditions. In winter, he could stack on as many layers as it took to stay warm and pull out a portable heater. But to combat the heat, nothing really worked apart from dumping an ice bucket over your head. Minghao would probably cook to death before he’d do that and ruin his paintings.

One way to figure out that Minghao was toiling away on a piece manifested in his choice of breakfast. He kept a bottle of grape and pomegranate juice in the back of the fridge that he downed with kimchi fried rice. Ordinarily, Minghao hated dark fruits. Good luck getting him to eat red grapes; green ones were fine. Picky picky eater.

He was finishing the last bite and drinking his juice when Junhui came downstairs on Monday morning. At least, the younger noticed, his brother had come inside at some point to shower and change.

“Hey.” Junhui sat down with his coffee and milk, already digging into his cereal. “Are you going to work today?”

“Don’t speak with your mouth full,” Minghao grumbled. “And yes, why?”

Junhui shrugged, completely ignoring the scolding, and pointed to the empty bowl, tainted red from the kimchi, along with the empty bottles on the counter. “You doubled the usual amount. Must be some intense piece.”

Minghao chuckled, finishing his drink. “Nah. I was just hungry. What’s next on the renovation plan?”

“I have no idea,” Junhui admitted with a laugh as he continued to eat. “He just kinda makes it up as we go or something. If he does have a plan, he’s not sharing it with me.”

“I guess it makes sense,” he replied absentmindedly. “Not like you have any idea what you’re doing anyway.”

Junhui considered the statement for a second and nodded with another laugh. “Good point.”

Finishing his breakfast, he took the dirty dishes to wash, then grabbed a few water bottles and some snacks before the pair got going. As soon as they stepped out of the house, the heat descended on them like a heavy blanket. Junhui ran to the truck to escape it. Minghao didn’t miss his brother’s sigh of relief when he turned on the air and it finally cooled down.

The truck hadn’t even left Serenity Hill that Junhui was already running up the steps into the Jeon House. It didn’t actually have a state of the art cooling system, but it was better than baking in the sun. Plus being surrounded by the woods, it offered some nice shades.

He couldn’t find Wonwoo in the front of the house, so he crossed the rooms to the kitchen.

He wasn’t there, either, but a few screwdrivers of different sizes laid outside of the toolbox on the counter, along with a tin can containing loose screws and nails. The cupboards with missing doors were in the midst of being disassembled, and the pieces of wood were piled neatly in one corner of the room. Junhui noticed the fridge being open and came to peer inside.

The trays and plastic racks had been removed. For an old fridge, it didn’t have nearly as much mold as he expected. Wonwoo was probably going to toss it out, which explained why he’d unplugged it from the socket. Junhui opened the freezer to check. The defrosted ice was beginning to run and form a little puddle. This could get messy; if the water didn’t end up in a container, it was going to trickle all over the floor. A hazardous situation.

Out of habit, Junhui checked the cabinet under the sink for some kind of bucket. Evidently, this wasn’t home, so there was none. He stood back on his heels, chewing his bottom lip to figure out how to contain all this water. Maybe he should look in the cleaning closet.

Just then, he heard footsteps and turned to see Wonwoo coming in from the backyard.

“You’re here,” he stated. “Come and help me with something.”

“Okay.”

Slightly confused, Junhui followed him outside. Wonwoo went around the corner toward the basement. They passed by the spot of their first encounter, and he gulped, hoping Wonwoo wouldn’t notice the minute shudder. The door already open, they went down the steps into the cool cellar.

Junhui wasn’t sure what he was expecting, maybe junk and storage boxes along with old pieces of furniture (the more skittish part of his brain conjured up a dark and creepy room, with chains on the walls and blood splatter). Instead, he walked into a rather spacious and clean area, with a few boxes and some work benches.

Those things didn’t capture his attention, though, because tucked away against the wall, some towels had been roughly set out, along with two bowls. The kitties from last week laid atop those towels, squirming and tumbling against each other.

Junhui blinked, then rubbed his eyes.

Sure enough, he wasn’t hallucinating. The mother curled up with her kitten at her sides, licking the top of their heads affectionately. She raised her head when the boys approached. Her paw was bandaged.

“You... You saved them?” Junhui asked, astonished, turning to look at him with round eyes.

Wonwoo shrugged, expressionless. “Once she calmed down, I was able to move her. The leg is only sprained, no broken bones, but she did cut it. It took some work for the bandages, though.”

Junhui gaped at him. “Wow.” For a second, he wondered if he was dreaming. Cold and mean Jeon Wonwoo actually rescued a litter of kitties? Discretely, Junhui pinched himself, then disguised his grimace with a cough as he turned his attention back to the mama cat.

She stared up at him, her eyes soft and gentle now that she knew she and her kittens were safe. Carefully, she nudged closer. Seeing that, Junhui knelt and sat back on his heels as he let her sniff his hand.

“Meow,” he mewed softly and giggled when she responded.

“This was very kind of you,” he commented. He heard the other snort. When he turned around, Wonwoo rolled his eyes.

“Anyway,” he cleared his throat. “I don’t think she likes me very much after I struggled to bandage her leg. I don’t know, I might have inadvertently hurt her. See if she’ll let you replace the gauze with a new roll.” Wonwoo walked to a small shelf and picked up a plastic bag with some first aid supplies. When had he had the time to buy those? Junhui was there the whole day, and he never noticed him leave.

“Okay, I’ll try,” he accepted the bag and pulled out the rolls of bandages. “Did you name her?” he asked as he began to pet her. She closed her eyes as he gently rubbed the slope of her nose, lingering by the soft tuff of hair on her forehead.

“Why would I?”

Shrugging, Junhui unrolled the compress. “I don’t know. Most people care enough to.” Wonwoo stayed silent, so he added with a sheepish smile, “Can I name her?”

Sighing, Wonwoo crossed his arms over his chest. “If it makes you happy.”

“Yay!” he cheered and giggled to himself. “Hmm. How about… Jelly? Do you like that?” he called to her softly. She nuzzled his palm, purring, and he beamed. “Let me take care of you, alright?” She let out a small mewl, then laid her head back down.

“Jelly?”

Cheeks growing warm, Junhui chuckled nervously. “My brother and his friend call me Jelly Beans sometimes. I thought it’d be cute.”

Wonwoo arched a brow. “So you named her after you?”

“Well, I’m gonna be taking care of her, right? I can be her dad.”

Snorting again, Wonwoo shook his head. “You’re more fitted to be her kitten than her dad.” It could have been a trick of the light, but Junhui could have sworn he saw the corner of Wonwoo’s mouth lift in almost a grin. It was so unexpectedly, Junhui gaped at him until Jelly nudged at his palm and stirred him out of the stupor.

“Oh! I’m sorry.” Slowly, minding her discomfort, he took off the old cloth. When she didn’t protest, he applied the antibiotic ointment, then circled the paw with the new roll, and tied it off at the end. He settled her leg back against her body and threw the soiled bundle into the trash.

“Thanks,” Wonwoo muttered as the younger got up. It almost seemed to pain him, having to be nice to someone. What a strange person.

Junhui beamed anyway. “You’re welcome!”

Wonwoo followed behind Junhui out of the basement, bringing with him a sturdy two-wheel cart that the young volunteer assumed would be used to move the fridge from the kitchen. Behind him, Wonwoo left the door slightly ajar so that it wouldn’t be complete darkness and for air to circulate. So much for not caring about the kitties, Junhui giggled to himself.

In the kitchen, the two of them got going dismantling the cupboards on the wall, saving the nails and screws, then disposing the wood board to the side. At one point, one particular piece did not want to get removed from the wall, despite having all the nails and screws pulled out already. Junhui probably looked ridiculous trying to hold on to the edge of the piece and yank on it with little movement. It didn’t help that for him to get a good hold, he had to be crouching on the counter. Any kind of overly hard tug would send him backward, his head hitting the hard floor. It was just a weird and awkward battle between him and the cupboard. In the end, Wonwoo couldn’t take seeing such a pathetic show and came over. In one jerk, he got the stubborn plank out of the wall and down by the pile of wood. While Wonwoo returned to his corner without even breaking a sweat, Junhui sat there panting from the effort and eyed the other with slight envy. 

Thankfully, that particular one was the toughest; the rest proved relatively easy to remove.

When they got done with all the cupboards, drawers, and cabinets, Wonwoo asked him to bring the pieces to the back of the truck while he carried the new ones in. Now that he mentioned it, Junhui did remember seeing more boxes from several home furnishing stores out on the porch this morning.

Since Wonwoo didn’t use the cart, Junhui took advantage of it to avoid getting splinters and save himself multiple trips back and forth in the sun. He’d had to stop halfway through the task to down his water bottle already.

“I’m gonna go to the lumber yard to dispose of the wood,” Wonwoo told him now. “Stay here and take some measurements for me.”

“Got it.”

“I need to know how large the surface of the counter tops are, and how much room there is for the fridge and stove once I get rid of them. There should be a tape measurer and some paper in the toolbox.”

Junhui walked over and dug around until he found what he needed. “Sure. Anything else?”

Looking around the kitchen, Wonwoo said, “If you know how—it’s fine if you don’t—disconnect the stove from the gas line. Just don’t forget to turn off the gas before you do it or I won’t have a house to come back to.”

The grimness of his tone made it hard for the younger to determine if he was kidding or not. Junhui decided to take him seriously and nodded. “I’ll be careful.”

“I shouldn’t take long.” Pulling the keys out of his jeans, Wonwoo exited through the back door. A few seconds later, the truck came to life, and he was gone.

Getting to work right away, Junhui measured the different surfaces and labeled them on the piece of paper, then moved on to the spaces where the fridge and stove were situated. Now he stared at the old stove and wondered how anyone could have turned it on within the past decade without it exploding into a million pieces.

He looked around for the gas knob, which took him a while, before he could locate it under the layers of dust and grime. _Gross!_ Turning it off took so much effort, Junhui was half convinced it was welded into position. Even after all the huffing and puffing, the knob would not budge. For a second, he considering using a wrench, but then quickly shook the idea away. Wonwoo said not to bother if he couldn’t get it done. Better leave it to him. No more accident. The electricity going out was enough to last a while. Junhui took his water and went out into the living room to take a break.

Wonwoo came back about twenty minutes later. He didn’t even come look for his volunteer. For a few seconds, Junhui wondered what he’d do if Junhui just took a nap. Probably nothing. Getting up, the boy stretched, rubbing his eyes, and headed back inside, ready to take orders.

When he stepped into the room, Wonwoo was inching the stove away from the wall, enough so he could see behind it. Since the stove laid between the sinks and counter tops, he had to climb on top of one in order to reach the back of the stove. Junhui was just about to ask if he needed him to grab any tools or WD-40, when he got up and hopped down.

Junhui stood out of the way for him to first lug the heavy stove away from the tight space, then closer to the entryway. It creaked in protest, leaving its mark on the chipped floor tiles. The beat up stove tops fell out onto the ground, altogether with gas pipes and black crumbs. This thing wasn’t leaving the house without a fight, and neither did Wonwoo, apparently. Breathing out a huff of annoyance, he shoved it one last time, sending it a few feet away from the threshold. It landed face down with such a clatter, Junhui flinched. Superhuman strength sure was handy… if not terrifying. _Eep!_

“I’ll bring the truck around,” Wonwoo said as he walked through the doorway, pushing a hand through his hair. “Can you go get the cart?”

“Sure.”

After he left, Junhui took a second to remember where he left the cart last. He thought it was in the yard, close to where the truck had been parked when he moved the lumber. He was already halfway out the door, when he remembered he left it down the hall at the ready for the stove and fridge, so he turned back inside.

His foot caught the corner of the stove, sending him over the appliance. Out of reflex, a yelp escaped his lips even before his brain registered any sensation. An acute sting sliced through his left shin, and he looked down in horror, already panicking.

_No no no no. Please, no._

Half limping and half hopping, he reached the other side of the room and grabbed the towel laying there. Not caring about all the filth on it, he pressed it against the cut, cursing himself for wearing shorts, cursing the heat for making him wear shorts. _Everything’s fine. It’ll be fine. Don’t panic. Everything’s gonna be okay._

“Where’s the—Are you okay?”

His head shot up, catching Wonwoo’s questioning eyes over the counter. Thank goodness Junhui was hidden from view this way. _Why was this happening now?_

“Sure, the floor is kinda slippery from the melted ice. I tripped, and my leg got scratched,” Junhui answered as calmly as he could, smiling through the sting. He applyed more pressure on the cut. “A band-aid will take care of it. I’m fine! Totally.”

He seriously hoped Wonwoo wouldn’t notice that the water was still contained within the freezer compartment, and that barely any of it dripped out onto the floor.

Wonwoo nodded, walking around the other side toward the hall to go get the younger a bandage, he supposed. But at the threshold, Wonwoo stopped. So did Junhui’s breathing. Slowly, Wonwoo turned around and stared at the leg, eyes strained on Junhui clutching the soiled towel.

His eyes narrowed. “Let me see that cut.”

“It’s fine! I promise. I just need a band-aid,” Junhui lied, gripping the counter with his other hand to move backward and escape.

Before Junhui could even react, though, Wonwoo took three steps toward him. He picked the younger up at the waist and set him down on the counter as if he were a mere child. The surprised gasp morphed into one of horror when he grabbed Junhui’s ankle and yanked it closer for inspection.

“Hey!”

By dint of shock, Junhui let go of the towel to grip the edge of the counter, leaving the injured leg on full view. It was much worse than just a scratch. The blood was smeared all over the place, the specks of dust and muck mixed with it.

“Hemophilic, huh?” Wonwoo glared at him, and Junhui whimpered, shrinking under his harsh gaze. He tried to tug his leg free, but it was useless against Wonwoo’s grip. They both watched as the next few drops of blood oozed out, carrying the remnants of Junhui’s lie.

Without the pressure applied on it, there was nothing stopping the flow. Coalescing into a small stream, it rolled off his leg, and a drop hit the edge of the counter, running down the side. Before the drop even made it to an inch in length, it was already happening.

Sharp, tiny spikes shot out of the red pool, solidifying instantly into crystals as the air cooled it from body to room temperature. The blood on his leg took longer to crystalize due to the heat on his skin, but the razor sharp spikes were already forming, tearing at the tissue. He winced at the pain, screwing his eyes shut.

Junhui had been lucky the first time he cut his palm here. None of the blood dropped onto the floor or anywhere but his hand. The laceration was so small that even though the blood had crystalized, no one had noticed but him. Now there was no way to hide it.

Releasing his ankle, Wonwoo stepped back, his face a blank mask. It was impossible to know what went through the older’s head, but his own heart was erratic, beating so loudly Junhui was afraid it might jump out of his chest. His hands fisted at his sides.

“What do you usually use to clean your large cuts?” Wonwoo asked softly. “Lemon juice?”

Junhui’s round eyes locked on his, and he nodded, stunned. “Y-yeah, and warm water.”

“I’ll see what I can find.” Wonwoo left him sitting there and went out into the foyer. Junhui heard his footsteps on the staircase, and doors opening and closing.

Lemon juice, as Hyejin had found out, was the best liquid that could dissolve the crystals. It came in great help when they needed to clear the crystals from Junhui’s cuts in order for the blood flow to keep going. If they didn’t let the blood drain, and it accumulated in the gash instead, it would ache and throb.

 _God, I really messed up_. Junhui whined quietly, pressing his hands over his face.

By the time Wonwoo came back, the younger still hadn’t gotten his breathing back to normal.

He returned with a small bottle of vinegar. Junhui remembered seeing it around the house as a cleaning agent rather than any cooking ingredient. Looking around for a second, Wonwoo found a water bottle. He emptied the content into the sink and turned on the hot water. In the meantime, he poured some of the vinegar into the bottle before checking the faucet. Once satisfied with the temperature, he filled the bottle halfway. Next he picked up the towel from the floor and rinsed it as best as he could under the stream of hot water.

“This should get the job done, too,” Wonwoo said. “Although not as effective as citrus.”

Junhui nodded mutely. The other rung out the towel and set the bottle next to the boy’s hip. He poured the content onto the towel to saturate it.“H-how... how did you know what to do?” he asked tentatively as Wonwoo began to clean the cut with the hot acidic juice. It stung, and Junhui instinctively jerked his leg away, whimpering.

Firmly, Wonwoo held his ankle in place as he continued to apply the solution with careful swipes, alternating the clean part of the towel. “I knew a person with your condition.”

“You did...?” Junhui paused, not knowing what to make of this new piece of information. “W-where are they now?”

“He’s dead.”

The blunt answer took him by surprise, and he clammed up. Wonwoo was startlingly gentle as he took care of the cut, something Junhui never thought even possible, much less a scene he would ever witness. But then again, Wonwoo did save Jelly and her kittens, caring for her leg, as well.

“Thank you,” Junhui said afterward when Wonwoo threw everything into the trash.

“Can you walk?”

Junhui hopped down from the surface, wobbling slightly, and took a few steps. It still hurt a little, but he could walk. He nodded.

Quickly glancing at his watch, Wonwoo said, “It’s almost six. You can’t do much with that now anyway.” The apology was perched on the tip of his tongue, but Wonwoo stopped him before Junhui could speak up. “Your ride will be here soon. I’ll see you later.”

Dismissed, Junhui limped clumsily to the front of the house to wait for Minghao to come get him. When the truck slowed to a stop, he clutched the railing of the porch to stand up, then carefully made his way down the few steps as he focused his attention on not faceplanting on the dirt path. The car door opening made him look up. Minghao, wearing a scowl, briskly came up to him.

“What happened?” he wanted to know, staring at the bandaged leg. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine,” Junhui shook his head at his extended hand. “I just fell over the stove.”

“You did what?” Following behind him, Minghao gave his brother some space, but still watched him like he was a toddler learning to walk.

“I tripped and cut myself.” Sighing, Junhui turned around at the side of the truck. “Wonwoo knows,” he finally admitted. Minghao’s eyes widened, his mouth opened to say something, then closed.

“Did it freak him out? Is he going to report it?” he spoke very fast, agitated as he glanced over his shoulder toward the house.

“Actually,” Junhui chewed on his lip. “He, uh, he took care of the cut himself.” Minghao blinked. “It was weird, to say the very least, but... He says I’m not the only one with the condition that he’s known.”

“Who else?”

Junhui shook his head. “I don’t know, apparently the person died.”

Letting out a sigh, Minghao nodded and ran a hand through his hair. He opened the door. “Can you trust him?” he asked once the younger was sitting in the truck. They stared at each other.

At that moment, Junhui thought back to the first night he ever talked to Jeon Wonwoo. He’d discovered Wonwoo’s darkest secret. Now Wonwoo knew his. His answer to Minghao now was more or less the same he had to tell himself.

“I don’t have any other choice. I have to trust him to keep it secret.”

The silent ride home felt heavy. Minghao kept his eyes focused on the road, but Junhui sensed that his mind was working overtime. He couldn’t tell his brother that he knew Wonwoo’s secret, and by keeping Junhui’s, they were even. Not saying anything, though, gave Minghao so much to think and worry about. As if the past few years weren’t enough. Sighing, Junhui turned his gaze to the speeding surrounding.

 _“Isn’t one secret enough for you to bear?”_ Wonwoo had asked him the first day he showed up to work. Well, apparently not.

The truck came to a stop in the driveway. Minghao pulled the key out, but he didn’t move from his seat. His eyes were still far away, overlooking the space by the pine trees in the distance.

“Hao,” Junhui called softly. “You don’t have to worry so much.” He let out a breath, forcing a smile. “It’s going to be okay. He’s not gonna say anything.”

Minghao turned to look at him. “I hope you’re right, Jun.” Sighing, he shook his head, running his hands through his hair again. “All this time, we’ve avoided any kind of crisis involving you getting hurt. A week after he arrives, and this happens.” His hand waved in the general direction of the injured leg.

“Don’t tell me you believe what people say about him bringing bad luck.” Junhui laughed, hoping to lighten up the mood.

“It’s a little hard not to when things like this happens,” he replied.

“Those rumors come from the same people who think that we’ve made a pact with the devil in order to keep me alive,” Junhui reminded him. The corner of his mouth pulled up slightly into a smile.

“We might as well have, right? At least, I imagined Satan would have given us a lifetime warranty that no one would suspect a thing.”

Junhui laughed. “Yeah, probably.”

With a groan, Minghao leaned back against the headrest and let out a tired sigh.

“Can we not tell Mom about this?” the younger asked softly, fidgeting in the seat. “She already has the museum and library stuff to think about. I don’t want to add this to the pile.”

“You know she’s gonna find out eventually.”

“I’ll try to figure it out when the time comes.”

Lifting his head, Minghao eyed the bandages. “How are you gonna explain _that_ tonight when she gets home?”

“I tripped on the stairs of the barn,” Junhui said easily, grinning a little too brightly for someone who tore up his leg barely thirty minutes ago.

“Well, I guess that’s a plausible explanation,” he concluded with a snort. “It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.”

“Right, that’s me: the clumsy fool of the family.”

Chuckling once, Minghao jabbed lightly at the younger’s head. “We should’ve given you up for adoption.”

“Too late now,” Junhui grinned, and he rolled his eyes. “You’re stuck with me.”

They laughed, both feeling slightly better about the whole ordeal. Minghao didn’t even bother coming into the house after he made sure Junhui was okay to walk; out of the car, he made a beeline for his paint cans and canvas. Junhui did his best to walk inside the house as fast as he possibly could. After he changed out of his dirty shorts, which he noticed carried some blood specs, he settled on the couch and formulated the best way of revealing his injuries to Hyejin.

The door clicked open an hour later, and he went out to see her. She was carrying her bag, her lunch container, and a binder as she struggled to close the door behind her. Either this moment or when she was ready to cook, was her prime distracted time. He took his chance.

“Hi, Mom. Guess what! I can add another scar to my collection.” He knew his voice sounded way too perky, but with her hands busy and her head switching from work to Mom-mode, she hardly saw the difference.

“Oh, honey...” she shook her head, taking her heels off.

“It’s okay, I’m fine. I was just in a hurry and missed a step going up the barn stairs.” Grabbing the empty containers, he walked into the kitchen and dumped them into the sink, turning the water on.

“Did you clean the cut well?” she asked.

“Yes, it’s all good.” And just like that, no more questions. The evening went as usual, minus Minghao.

“I hope your brother can get away from the barn long enough to celebrate the holiday,” Hyejin was saying as she parked the pan on the stove.

“Yeah, I don’t know. He does go to work, so I’m gonna say that it’s not completely sucking the life out of him yet,” he laughed, and she chuckled.

Her mentioning the holiday reminded him that he hadn’t even talked to Wonwoo about it. But seeing as he was temporarily handicapped, it probably went without saying that he’d be better off at home instead.

 

Wednesday came around, and as usual, Hyejin made way too much food for three people. That morning, Junhui had walked down into the kitchen to find her putting away a container of potato salad in the fridge, while two other side-dishes half-finished sat on the counter. The previous night, he had been chopping the carrots, celery sticks, and onions into tiny cubes for her while she mashed the potatoes. The steaks had been immersed in some sauce he couldn’t pronounce, the chicken wings were taken out of the fridge and waiting for their orange and honey marinade, and the vegetables were left to dry before they got cut and skewered. By the time he had gone to bed, she had the kabobs and meats done. In the morning, apparently she got the potato salad mixed and chilled, before moving on to make sautéed corn, and some noodle dish. While she was doing that, Junhui was in charge of the lemonade, and dessert, which consisted of a fruit salad, and grilled peaches. All he could think of during all this was how much leftovers they were going to have after today.

Around three, Minghao was summoned to get the grilling started. He was just finishing scrubbing the crumbs from the rack when Junhui brought the food trays out.

“All hail Grill Master Xu Minghao!”

“How many people are we hosting?” he asked, eyeing the trays in distress.

“Just us,” Junhui answered.

“Geez,” he shook his head. “She must have been famished when she thought up of all this food or something.” Junhui giggled.

“We’re gonna be set for a month with all the leftovers.”

“At least,” he added, cranking the fire to high. “I’m gonna bring some to Mingyu tomorrow.”

“I’m sure he’ll love it.”

Thankfully, by this time the heat had let up, somewhat. The porch also provided them with some shade on this side of the lawn, so they weren’t quite dying. As Minghao manned the grill, Junhui brought out the plates for the cooked foods. The table and chairs for their outdoors activities had already been pulled out of storage yesterday, so it was just a matter of setting them up.

To pass the time, Junhui brought out one of mystery-thrillers recorded on audio tapes that Hyejin still kept. The plot lines were usually corny and cliché, but they were fun to listen to. It was like an audiobook, only with old, over-the-top special effects from back in the day. This one in particular sounded really promising, something about a cursed island and some creepy sea monster eating people.

He didn’t know about Minghao, but after the initial twenty minutes of this particular mystery, Junhui was hooked. Hyejin popped in and out of the house, and even agreed that this was one of her favorites. Since she already knew the story and how it ended, she and Minghao spent their time in some discussion that Junhui didn’t bother following. Guess his brother wasn’t as enthralled as he was.

The story was still going by the time they set up the table to eat. And it was getting to the creepy part, where the main character and the male lead figure out the next clue to the mystery and arrive at an abandoned house. They’re just about to leave for the next destination, when a mercenary shows up to kill them. The good guys are now stuck in the basement with no way out.

“Yo, Witch Jelly Beans!” A grape hit Junhui’s shoulder, and he yelped.

“What!” Snapping out of it, he turned around, his eyes wide. Minghao and Hyejin tried not to burst out laughing at the youngest’s reaction.

“I’ve been trying to get your attention since they opened the trunk in the basement,” Minghao laughed. “Did you want some dessert?”

“Oh,” Junhui blinked, finally taking in his surrounding. The sun had waved goodbye at some point (probably when the leads were decoding the map) and now it was twilight. There was just a faintly visible streak of orange glow behind the trees as the inky blue sky spread out. They’d had to turn on the porch lights, too, and Junhui didn’t even notice any of it. The weather was also a lot cooler now. “Yes! I want dessert!” Junhui replied with enthusiasm, before going back to the tape to rewind it a few moments.

While Junhui waited and stared at the minutes to find his spot, he heard his brother pick up a few plates and go in the general direction of either the kitchen or the grill. Hyejin, he could see from the corner of his eye, was gathering the plates and silverware into a neat pile for the clean-up later.

“What are you serving, grilled peaches or fruit salad?” he asked, slowing the rewinding as it got close to the part. He waited for either him or Hyejin to reply, but they were both silent. He hit the stop button. “Hao?”

When Junhui turned around, both Minghao and their mother were standing by the grill, looking at something over the horizon. “Hey, what’s—”

His sentence cut off when he went over to see what they were staring at, their faces somber.

A huge black column of smoke had begun to rise up from the tree line in the direction of town. With all the barbecues going on today, no one even suspected anything out of the ordinary when the smell of smoke had blown in the wind.

As Junhui stared at the menacing smoke, he couldn’t think of anything at that location that could produce that much smoke, which meant that it had to be a wildfire, only it didn’t look like it was coming from the woods.

“Where is that coming from?” Hyejin asked, her voice slightly dazed.

Minghao, snapping out of the stupor first, grabbed the binoculars Junhui had set on the table to watch the fireworks with later, and locked them over the fire. “Call 911, it’s the Jeon House.”

Overhead, the first fireworks shot up; millions of colors exploded against the dark sky.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun dunnnnnn!!! was the excitement worth all the boring stuff so far? lol
> 
> oh, and also, just to be clear: jun isn't hemophilic. having the condition doesn't make your blood grow spikes and crystalize. yikes! lol 
> 
> (bc i've been getting questions: hemophiliac just means your blood doesn't clot like a should bc there's a defect in your gene on your x chromosome. it's a dangerous condition bc you can bleed to death even from a small cut). AGAIN JUST TO BE CLEAR: JUN ISN'T HEMOPHILIC. HE LIED SO PPL WHO WOULDN'T GET SUSPICIOUS WHEN HE FREAKS OUT BC AN INJURY.
> 
> do lemon juice and vinegar have the same chemical properties? no... oh wellz. just pretend they do 😅
> 
> i hope you had fun with this chapter. thank you for reading and see you next week! ^_^  
> xoxoxo


	8. Restless

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun goes to check on Wonwoo and the fire, and gets many heart attacks bc of Wonwoo.

 

 

The phone operator repeated one more time, as if she were afraid Junhui might not have heard her the first three times, to stay put; the police and fire department will get to the scene shortly. He’d told her that the owner might still be in the house, so that might have been the reason she wanted to make sure he didn’t go play hero and rescue Wonwoo on his own. 

It was completely dark now, except for the rain of colors and booming of the fireworks shooting into the air. No one was paying attention to the celebration anymore, though. Instead, several levels of worry occupied their minds: the Jeon House, one of Diamond Creek’s oldest buildings was on fire; Wonwoo (a completely innocent human being in Hyejin’s and Minghao’s eyes) might be hurt; this could be the start of a forest fire.

With the current heat wave, the air and trees were dryer than usual, already capable of combustingwith the smallest spark. Now a live flame burned in their midst. If the fire department couldn’t get this under control soon, the fire consume the entire hill and will spread throughout the region in no time at all.

Red, white, and blue lights flashed at the edge of town, followed by the echoing sirens of the fire trucks and police cars. The blinking lights made their way through the dark, and soon, the thick forest hid them from view. The sirens faded out with the distance, too.

The family witnessed in somber silence as a moment later, the black smoke lightened to a grayish color, then turned white after several minutes. They stood there watching the huge column of smoke slowly dissolve and get carried away by the winds over the tops of the trees. The authorities took some extra precaution by spraying water over the nearby trees in case some embers had landed on the forest ground. Instead of a column of flying ash, the whole top of the hill got covered in a thick fog.

Breaking the silence, Junhui cleared his throat. “Should we... Should we go see if everything is all right?” he asked tentatively, glancing at his family.

“Perhaps we should,” Hyejin said with a sad sigh, her eyes still trained on the smoke. “I’ll call Ms. Seo first on the way. There’s not much she can do, but at least she’ll know we’re checking up on Wonwoo and the house.”

Minghao didn’t exactly look like he wanted to go, but he didn’t comment on it as the three of of them got in the car.

Even with the windows rolled up and the cold air blasting, Junhui could still smell the thickness of the smoke, making the back of his throat and nose itch. Halfway up the hill, they saw the flashing lights casting colors onto the darkness. If it were any other situation, it might have been funny to see a pseudo rave party in the woods.

Because of the parked fire trucks and police cruisers, Minghao had to stop their car lower down the hill to avoid getting in the way.

The scene was a real circus. People milled about at rapid speed, some on their phones, a few cleaning up the debris from the ground, and others retreated the water hoses. Loud voices pierced through the night along with the commotion, and their radios worked nonstop with incoherent orders and static.

As Junhui got out of the car, the smell of burning wood and water coalesced into a thick sludge in his head. The heat certainly did not help. He had to cough a few times to clear his lungs.

Hyejin found one of the officers from the Sheriff’s office and asked about the situation. Standing at her side, Junhui looked around, trying not to be in anyone’s way. He noticed the presence of about five or six teenagers ushered off and gathered in one spot. Two officers accompanied them, talking. Or more like scolding, going by the bow of the teens’ shoulders and their frantic nodding. All of them had their eyes lowered, ashamed. They also looked like they’d been digging around in the dirt or something, their jeans and shorts were all covered in mud.

The conversation between Hyejin and the officer pulled his attention back.

“After your call,” the man said, “we received a few more, telling us of the smoke and what sounded like gun fires.”

“Gun fires,” Hyejin repeated, shocked. “Was anyone hurt?” As she asked the question, her eyes wandered around, trying to see past the firemen.

“No, no,” Officer Jackson reassured her. “Just some kids,” he gestured toward the corralled teenagers. “They had a little firecracker party of their own.” He continued to explain the facts just as more cars arrived on the scene.

Just glancing at the kids and at their reactions, the new cars belonged to their parents. Firecrackers. Well, that explained why the house suddenly caught on fire, Junhui mused. But how bad were the damages, and where was Wonwoo? They’d been standing outside the gates; fire trucks were still blocking his view of the house. Junhui peeked at Hyejin who was nodding and talking to the officer, then at Minghao at her side. The younger took a second to think, then decided to go.

“Jun!”

He looked over his shoulder, seeing Minghao come after him, wearing a disapproving scowl.

“Stay with Mom, I’ll be back in a second.”

“You can’t just wander—”

Taking his chance when two firemen approached them carrying a rolled up hose, Junhui evaded his brother and ran inside the gate.

“Jun!”

Wincing, he decided Minghao could yell at him later.

On the property itself, the ground was slightly muddy, and the smell of soot hung heavily in the air as he approached the house. Off to the side, he noticed a couple ambulances. In the back of one sat two teens. The girl was getting her arm checked out, probably caused by an errant firecracker, while the boy had his forehead probed by the paramedics.

“You’re lucky the gasoline didn’t catch fire,” Junhui heard someone say. He turned around to see Seokmin coming up by the ambulance to talk to the kids. “Seriously, what were you thinking doing something so dangerous?”

The boy shrugged, then flinched. “We just thought it’d make a pretty amazing show.”

“Oh, the show was amazing,” Seokmin chuckled, shaking his head. “Even more so now that your parents are here, Tyler.”

“Oh, man,” Tyler groaned. “I’m gonna be grounded for life.”

At that moment, his mother, Junhui presumed, pushed through the crowd, her eyes fierce and intent on her son. _Yikes_. This kind of prank was a new kind of stupid. Tyler’s mom alternated between yelling at her son and thanking the paramedics for taking care of him. Seokmin tried to appease her anger.

Not wanting to be caught by his friend, who’ll just make him go back, Junhui took the opportunity to slip away.

By now Junhui was slightly worried. Why hadn’t anyone mentioned Wonwoo yet? Was he not at home, or did something really bad happen? So far, he couldn’t see any stretcher, so he told himself it couldn’t be too bad. Right?

Once Junhui got past the barricade of cars, he stood face to face with the house. Half of it was covered in black soot, then dowsed with water. The back of the house where the kitchen was located seemed the worst. Most of it had been consumed by the fire, the flames just starting to lick the second story by the time the firemen arrived. He could see into the rooms, which were now destroyed by the smoke and water. His assessment moved on to the roof, where he noticed a few holes here and there. Nothing major, but enough for the rain to cause significant damage. What were those kids thinking? Adding firecrackers with gasoline? They were lucky they didn’t all suffer third degree burns.

“No, really, I’m fine.”

He turned over his left shoulder toward the second ambulance. Its back was facing the other direction, so he hadn’t noticed the people inside earlier. Now he saw Wonwoo removing the blood pressure cuff from his arm.

The paramedic said something too low for Junhui to hear, but Wonwoo shook his head. “No, my head is fine.” The other man said something else, and Wonwoo agreed. “Yes, I will.” He handed the cuff to the EMT, then walked away.

He stopped when he saw Junhui, clearly confused and surprised by the younger’s presence.

“What are you doing here?” Wonwoo asked once they were within hearing distance, which was a little too close for comfort. His heart rate picked up.

Junhui had been worried when he didn’t see him, but now that he knew Wonwoo was fine, the nervousness and apprehension resurfaced. “We saw the smoke and called it in.”

“Oh. Thanks.” From the way Wonwoo watched him, Junhui realized that he noticed the younger hadn’t exactly answered his question. Sure, anyone would have called 911 when they noticed the smoke. What he wanted to know was why Junhui had come up here. Since the latter didn’t have a better answer than _‘I just wanted to make sure you were okay’_ , Junhui decided to play dumb.

“Were you in the house?” he asked.

Wonwoo shook his head. “I was checking on your cat and cleaning up the basement.” Junhui refrained from telling him that Jelly was not his cat.

“That was fortunate. But they’re okay?”

“Yeah. A little shaken up, but they’re fine.”

Junhui sighed in relief. “I’m glad. Sounds like it was good karma from saving her and the kitties that kept you from getting hurt tonight.”

“Yeah, I guess,” he replied, his eyes scanning the house. Although he didn’t show it, sadness tinged his gaze as he regarded the structure and the damages it sustained. “It looks worse than it is,” he told the younger when he noticed him staring at it, too.

“Do you have a place to stay while this gets repaired?”

With an eyebrow arched, Wonwoo said slowly, “The other side of the house.” Although it sounded like a question, responding in an obvious way.

“That’s not... an ideal solution,” Junhui retorted, thinking about living in a house missing most of its fourth wall, and potential leaky roof. Not to mention water damage.

“I don’t have a lot of options, Junhui,” he reminded him.

“Mr. Jeon!” The pair looked over to see Seokmin making his way toward them. He was surprised seeing Junhui there as well. “Jun, hi.”

“Hi, Seokmin,” he replied.

As if the young deputy remembered why he came over to talk to Wonwoo, he faced the latter. “Mr. Jeon, we need to know if you will be pressing charges.”

Shaking his head, Wonwoo answered, “No. The fright they got is punishment enough, I don’t need to add more to it.”

“Are you sure—”

“I’m sure,” Wonwoo cut Seokmin off with a firm voice.

Seokmin nodded. “Alright, then. Less paperwork for me!” he chuckled.

“What’s going to happen to them?” Junhui asked. “The kids, I mean.”

“Seeing as they’re all under sixteen,” he began, “and this is their first offense: a fine, and lots and lots of community service.”

“That’s good.” Junhui was glad it wasn’t prison.

“You didn’t come up here by yourself, did you?” Seokmin wondered.

“No, Mom and Minghao are somewhere over there,” he pointed in the general direction. “I was just...” His eyes flickered to Wonwoo, then off to the trees. Unsure how to explain what he’d been doing without sounding weird, he let it drop.

“Oh, well, let me walk you back,” Seokmin offered, nervously glancing at Wonwoo as he did so. Junhui guessed Seokmin still remembered the strangeness of the night of the meeting. Consequently, he was somewhat wary of Wonwoo.

“Actually, I was—” Junhui’s phone interrupted him. “Oh. Excuse me.” Glancing at the screen, he pressed it to his ear. “Hao.”

“Mom’s looking for you,” he said on the other line.

“I’m by the house.”

“Over there,” Minghao told Hyejin. Junhui heard their footsteps for a few seconds, then his brother said into the receiver, “Did you find him?”

It took Junhui a heartbeat to answer. The fact that Minghao guessed he went to look for Wonwoo shouldn’t have been much of a shock. Logically, why else would he go walk around at a fire site? Yet it still took him off-guard.

“Y-yeah, everything’s okay.”

“Good to know,” he replied. There were some more walking, then, “Alright, I see you.”

Scanning the thinning crowd, Junhui made out their silhouettes. Seeing them coming, Seokmin said goodbye, then left, waving at them as he went.

“Wonwoo,” Hyejin began. “I’m so glad you’re okay. I tried to reach your aunt, but she isn’t picking up.”

He smiled just slightly, as if he found her concern touching, if not somewhat silly and unnecessary. “Aunt Olivia rarely answers the phone after six.”

“Oh,” Hyejin blinked. “I’m sure she would have been very worried to learn of this predicament.”

Again, the same smile tugged at his lips, but he refrained from commenting this time. Hyejin and Minghao glanced at the surrounding. Unlike Minghao who merely observed the facts, Hyejin actually took notice of the damages and calculated how bad it all would look in the morning, not to mention how the repairs would go. She seemed heartbroken.

“The Sheriff tells me there was no major loss,” she continued, eyeing the roof now. “Have you had the chance to look around yet?”

“No, ma’am,” Wonwoo answered. “But from the outside it seems that the kitchen took most of the hit. The rest only suffered from water and smoke.”

“What about the roof?”

“A few firecrackers flew up and upon exploding, dislodged some of the tiles. New ones had to be installed anyway,” he told her. Maybe it was because she spoke about the house in her professional tone (she had been responsible for it for a long time before he showed up), but Wonwoo’s speech wasn’t so clipped and blunt as the one he used regularly. Or maybe he just gave her more respect out of politeness than he gave his volunteer.

Sighing, she shook her head regretfully. “What a holiday this has turned out.” Finally taking her eyes off of the house, she met his gaze. “Will you be staying at your aunt’s for a few days, then?”

“No, ma’am,” he shook his head. “Most of the house remains perfectly inhabitable. I’ll relocate to another room while the walls can be rebuilt.”

Her eyebrows pulled together and her lips puckered slightly as she thought about it, obviously not pleased. “That’s rather dangerous, isn’t it? What if some wild creature wanders into the house?”

Wonwoo and Junhui quickly glanced at each other, then at Hyejin. The boys both knew Wonwoo could take care of himself if a woodland creature decided to visit. Said creature won’t make it out of the house alive if he didn’t want it to. But Wonwoo decided to humor Hyejin, regardless.

“My car is intact if all else fails.”

Her eyes widened, completely appalled at the idea. “You mean sleeping in your car? No, that won’t do.” She took another second to think. “Wouldn’t you be more comfortable on a couch, at least?” Her mother instincts kicked in. After all, Wonwoo was around Minghao’s age. “We have a good one you can use for a while.”

Wonwoo, Minghao, and Junhui all stared back at her. _What did she just suggest?_ Jeon Wonwoo. Spending his nights on their couch. Surely she must be jesting. Or Junhui heard her wrong. With round eyes and a gaping mouth, he stared at her.

“Mrs. Wen,” Wonwoo snapped out of the shock quickly enough to speak to her in complete sentences. “I appreciate your concern, but I don’t think it’s necessary for you to go out of your way.”

“Not at all,” she insisted. “If you feel uneasy, then perhaps just for tonight. In the morning, you can figure out some other means. For now, my conscience simply cannot let anyone spend the night in this mess,” she moved her eyes toward the demolished façade.

With her being so pushy with her good intentions, Wonwoo had little choice but to acquiesce. He sighed minutely and inclined his head.

Obviously pleased with herself, she smiled proudly. She probably saw this as a rescue of a lost soul, if only for one night. Minghao and Junhui had no words to describe their shock at how this whole ordeal had turned out. Sure, Junhui was ready to help him out, but it didn’t include him sleeping on their couch. After what happened in the Jeon kitchen last time Junhui was there, he was still unsure how to hold himself around Wonwoo. Then as if that wasn’t enough excitement to last him a lifetime, now the Jeon House caught fire and his mother invited Wonwoo to spend the night on their couch.

“Well, then,” she concluded for them, “see if there’s anything you need that you can grab,” she addressed Wonwoo, then turned to her sons. “Jun, would you mind staying behind with Wonwoo and give him directions home? I need to get back and settle things.”

The brothers shared another quick look. Junhui knew she trusted Wonwoo to a certain degree. After all, Junhui did spend most of his week alone up here with him. Minghao, however, did not share the same level of trust. Especially now that he knew Wonwoo had figured out his little brother was different. Telling their mother of that fact, though, would blow Junhui’s lie. If Minghao were to suggest that Junhui went home with her instead, then the ride back would turn rather awkward seeing as he’s never even spoken to Wonwoo once. Moreover, it’d provoke questions that they’d all rather not answer.

So the boys bit their tongues and did as she said. Minghao drove her back first, while Junhui lingered behind with Wonwoo so he could get his things together, then ride back with him to give him directions.

By now, the ambulances had left along with the cars of the parents. The trucks were backing away now, followed by most of the police cars. Only a couple remained as the officers finished up their notes. The place was slowly beginning to regain its quietude.

“Does she always act so motherly with everyone?” Wonwoo asked as they moved toward the front of the house.

Junhui smiled, a little embarrassed by Hyejin’s enthusiasm. “Yes, actually. Must be a habit that she can’t break.”

Wonwoo opened the door, and they stepped inside. The lights weren’t working. Great. Either Wonwoo really _did_ have night-vision as Junhui presumed, or the older was used to the floor plans. Whatever the case may be, Wonwoo navigated up the stairs with ease. Junhui had to struggle for a few seconds before his pupils could dilate enough.

“Sorry about her pushing this whole thing on you,” he said after a minute.

Wonwoo didn’t reply right away. Not until they reached the first landing. “It’s okay. Sometimes it’s nice to have a mother who acts like one. Wait right here.”

Before Junhui could ask him what he meant and to elaborate, he had disappeared down the hall. The younger stood alone on the landing, his hand still gripping the balustrade as he studied the rings of dark smoke all over the walls.

Various sounds of drawers being pulled, then zippers done echoed through the silence. Then footsteps alerted him of Wonwoo’s return. Junhui let him take the lead so he could follow behind.

When they exited, they saw the last police cars leaving the property. Now that their tires rolled down the dirt hill, the boys were left with the usual silence of the Serenity Hill. The solitude of the Jeon House that for one night had been broken.

Out here, with the moonlight shining, Junhui could see Wonwoo carrying a backpack over his shoulder. The car keys in his hand, he unlocked the sedan and they climbed in. As Wonwoo turned the engine over, Junhui’s stomach did a flip, remembering the last time he took a ride with him. It was going to be ten times worse at night.

Not wanting him to get his house and upholstery destroyed in one night, the younger pulled his arms tightly around his torso, hands gripping his upper arms. They went down the hill, much, much too fast, and Junhui tried not to hyperventilate. Or scream. From the corner of his eye, he saw Wonwoo glance over and smirk, before focusing on the road in front of them.

He was enjoying this, wasn’t he? How mean.

Once they were back on solid, flat ground, Junhui swallowed and forced himself to speak without his voice shaking.

He failed.

Embarrassed and still agitated about the whole evening, he somehow managed to give Wonwoo understandable directions to get them home. His shiny car looked so odd parked next to Minghao’s truck and Hyejin’s Honda. It was like those puzzles for kids: which object doesn’t belong? The same feeling remained when Junhui led him inside, and Jeon Wonwoo stood in his small living room, facing their humble couch.

“Ah, you’re here,” Hyejin appeared, carrying a folded blanket on her arm, which she set down on the couch. Junhui noticed that she had rearranged the magazines and various other junk on the coffee table into neat piles. Her hands on her hips, she looked around for a second, thinking of something. “Guest bathroom is down the hall on your left, and the kitchen is right through here,” she informed him, “Anything you need, just let me know.”

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “I’ll be fine.”

Smiling tenderly, she patted Junhui’s shoulder as she went into the kitchen, most likely putting away the trays from dinner into the fridge. “There’s a lot of food if you’re hungry, Wonwoo. Help yourself to anything.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied, hiding a smirk.

Now that the topic of food came up, Junhui wondered if Wonwoo even ate regular food, or if he only... devoured live animals.

He swallowed, trying not to think of that fact.

Out of her earshot, Junhui asked him, “Do you eat?” When the other stared back at him with a flat expression, he rephrased, “I—I—I mean... Human food, you know…” Unable to handle the embarrassment, he waved his arms around to chase it away. “Justplease forget I said anything.” Shaking his head, Junhui stepped forward to check the blanket Hyejin had brought out.

“I _am_ partially human,” Wonwoo divulged, coming to stand right behind him.

Even with the knowledge that Wonwoo purposely made him feel nervous with his presence, the younger couldn’t fight his body’s natural reaction. He tensed up as the sudden close promixity. Only then did his brain compute what Wonwoo had just said.

“Wait!” His eyes widened. “You—you are?” Junhui spun around to face him.

Wonwoo stood merely a foot from him, way too close. With a gasp, Junhui backed away, hitting the couch and fell backward with a low thud against the cushions.

He stared up at him. “What about the other part?” His voice came out as a whisper, almost too low for him to be sure he’d even said it aloud.

“Mmm.” Wonwoo nodded, then leaned close to the younger’s face. “Do you think you can handle the truth if I told you?”

He sucked in a shuddering breath, chest rising and falling quite noticeably now. Wonwoo glanced down briefly, a smirk tugging the corner of his lips.

“If you’re this restless around me just knowing the basic facts, just imagine how worked up you would get if you knew what I really am...” Leaving that sentence hanging, he rested his hands on the back of the couch on either side of Junhui’s head, caging him in. A knee came up to settle on the cushion just shy of the younger’s as Wonwoo leaned in closer, their fringes almost brushing.

Junhui forgot how to breathe normally. There was nowhere else to go, Wonwoo had him trapped in place.

“Just know, though, that sometimes, the urge to feed is so tempting, it’s practically impossible to resist.” His voice was so low and husky, it made goosebumps rise all over Junhui’s skin.

Eyes as wide as saucers, the latter gaped at him, speechless, suddenly unable to form coherent thoughts. He locked his gaze on Wonwoo’s dark eyes, unable to look away as his imagination took flight and conjured up a scene straight from his nightmares, starring Jeon Wonwoo in his house.

Wonwoo saw it, the flicker of fear, the blood pumping faster in Junhui’s veins and arteries, beating against the side of his neck as he glanced at it. He sensed the minute shivers running across the boy’s body, the quickening and shallowness of his breath.

“Please…”

A slow grin crept over his expressions, eyes glinting with mischief. “Kidding.” He pulled away, and Junhui immediately slumped against the cushions, exhausted.

Spending time in close proximity with this guy was going to shorten his lifespan, no questions about it, Junhui reflected as he pulled a decorative pillow to his chest.

Kidding or not, Wonwoo was right about one thing: no matter close or far, he made him restless. At least at the Jeon House, Junhui had different tasks to keep his mind off of things. Plus, it almost seemed like Wonwoo tried to stay away from him, so it helped. Otherwise, being in the same room alone for too long induced too many panic attacks.

He knew all that, but it wasn’t like he could help being curious.

“You’re so easy,” Wonwoo snorted as he set his backpack on the coffee table.

“R-right,” Junhui panted, sitting up. “Let me get you a pillow,” he said as he fled down the hall toward the linen closet. _Mom, did you have to meddle again?_ He considered running to his room and hiding under his blanket, but eventually got his bearings in the hall and returned.

When he walked into the living room with a spare pillow, Wonwoo was standing in front of Minghao’s painting hanging above the dining table.

It was of a lighthouse overlooking the sea right before a great storm hit. The clouds were beginning to get darker, as the waves rocked the small sailboat. Yet there was still a beacon of sunlight shining through the clouds. It was a beautiful piece, one from his ocean-themed collection. He had more uplifting ones, one of which hung in Hyejin’s room, of the sea’s more gentle sides. Nonetheless, the artist preferred this one over those, saying it had more character. To Junhui, they were all beautiful, but he did prefer the more uplifting ones.

Wonwoo didn’t stir when Junhui hugged the pillow against his chest and sat on the edge of the coffee table, waiting to see if his guest needed anything else before he could flee to his room.

“Doesn’t your brother manage that garage in town?” Wonwoo asked, still observing the painting.

“Yeah.”

He paused. “I didn’t know a grease monkey could hold a paintbrush so well,” he said offhandedly. Before Junhui could even take offense on his brother’s behalf, Wonwoo turned around to face him. “How’s your leg doing?”

Talk about a 180° flip. Caught off-guard, Junhui stammered a little before saying, “It’s fine, healing.” Self-consciously, he tucked his left leg under his right one, hiding the bandages.

Leaning against the wall, Wonwoo put one hand in his pocket. “That’s good. But you didn’t tell your mother what really happened, did you,” he guessed, and Junhui shook his head, lowering his eyes momentarily. “Why not?”

Junhui shrugged. “She has a lot on her mind right now. I didn’t want to add more to it and become a burden.”

“You didn’t want her to know that I found out,” he reckoned. “If you had, she might not have offered me so much help tonight.”

“Probably not,” the other agreed, pursing his lower lip.

“But you knew that,” he continued as if Junhui hadn’t said anything. “Earlier, you had your chance of telling her, but you chose not to. Why’s that?”

His sharp eyes were too intense, probing for answers, genuinely trying to figure Junhui out like the boy was some complicated problem that he couldn’t decipher. When he held his gaze that way, Junhui never could pull free of his own.

“What do you want me to say, Wonwoo?” he finally sighed, squirming in his seat.

Continuing to study him, his eyes squinted a little, as if trying to figure out the answer himself. “I’m not sure,” he eventually answered. “Right now, all I want is to understand why you act the way you do.”

Junhui stared at him, blinking. He cocked his head to the side. “What do you mean?”

“I terrify you. I see it your eyes, through your actions, every single day you come to work,” he laughed without humor, gesturing to the couch. “And just a couple minutes ago, in fact. Yet…” He sighed, rubbing his chin. “Yet, you show up at the Jeon House tonight to check up on me.”

His stomach swooped, and heat crept up his neck. If a chasm could open up and swallow him whole, Junhui would gladly jump into it. Instead, he averted his gaze, looking at his feet.

“I bring you this close to a heart attack,” Wonwoo continued, “but you go and bring me a pillow so I can sleep on your couch for the night.”

Taking in a deep breath, Junhui let it out slowly. “I realize that it makes me either a fool or just plain stupid,” he paused. “But the truth is, I know how it feels like to be an outsider, being different from everyone else. I was lucky enough to have a handful of loved ones with me when I went through tough times. I did… I did think of hiding, but I couldn’t bring myself to. Now I’m just paying it forward.” He met his gaze under his lashes, voice small, “Even if you do... terrify me more times than not.”

“One of these days,” Wonwoo said softly, but with a warning hint, “Your kindness is going to land you in serious trouble.”

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

“So he spent the whole night at your place?” Soonyoung asked, an excited grin beginning to bloom on his face.

“Yeah,” Junhui shrugged. “What’s the big deal?” Although he acted casual, Wonwoo staying over for only one night had messed him up enough to keep him from getting any proper sleep. Nightmares that he’d slaughter the entire family had haunted him until morning.

“Well, I’d be pretty stoked if a hot guy slept on my couch,” Soonyoung said with a impish laugh. When Junhui didn’t laugh at the joke, he bumped their shoulders together playfully. “Come on, I was just kidding. Dude, the only one sleeping on my couch for the past few years has been Kwon Hamie.”

Junhui did chuckle at that, visualizing Soonyoung’s pet hamster. In general, pets were said to resemble their owner, but for Kwon Hamie, it almost seemed like he was Soonyoung’s animal alter ego or something. So wild and hyperactive, he refused to stay in a cage. He’d always be climbing over furniture and seemingly dancing whenever Soonyoung did.

“Anyway,” Soonyoung resumed his excavation of juicy tidbits. “Nothing happened? No midnight hankie-pankie?” he wiggled his brows suggestively.

Junhui flushed. “Hoshi! No!”

His friend found his reaction hilarious and laughed so loudly, it caused several people to turn around and scowl. “Oh, man.” He wiped at his tears. “That was priceless.”

“Hmph.”

To placate him, Soonyoung patted his cheeks and grinned. “Okay, okay. So what? Did he just leave in the morning without saying anything? That’s kinda rude. And boring.”

“Not exactly,” Junhui offered, touching his own face to make sure the redness had gone down. “In fact, Wonwoo had been rather considerate before he left.”

Since Junhui couldn’t sleep last night, he came down to the kitchen before Hyejin even got ready for her day. He had found the pillow neatly stacked on top of the folded blanket, all laid at one end of the couch. There was also a note, telling Junhui that until Wonwoo could figure out what to do with the house, he didn’t have to come to work. On the kitchen counter, he had found a box containing just about every breakfast pastry available in town. Written on the box in neat letters, Wonwoo thanked Hyejin for her hospitality.

“He cleaned up after himself and left us breakfast and a note.”

“Awww, how sweet! I bet he’s buttering you up.”

“What? Why?”

“So you’d still come back to work for him.”

“I’d still have gone back regardless, you know.”

“ _I_ know, but he doesn’t. Maybe he’s worried you got scared due to the fire.”

Junhui shrugged.

Sighing wistfully, Soonyoung commented, “I wish Seokmin bought me breakfast.”

“Didn’t you have coffee just two mornings ago?”

“Well, I want to do it every morning.”

Laughing, Junhui swung an arm around the other’s shoulders. “Just ask him.”

“No! Now let’s focus on the task at hand!”

Pouting, Junhui retorted, “How come you get to tease and I don’t?”

Soonyoung laughed. “Because I said so. Now work!”

He sighed.

Since Junhui didn’t have to show up for the renovation project today, he offered to help Soonyoung out this afternoon as his friend recruited participants for the date auction and talent show.

The committee had set up a table at their local coffee house, not the Starbucks on Briar Glen Way. This coffee house was for people who enjoyed nursing their cup for hours on end. Mostly students came to study during the school year. In other words, people that had more than ten minutes to spare. Soonyoung’s shift was from two to five. The two of them had come to relieve Hansol and Seungkwan from the midday rush.

“Any takers yet?” Soonyoung asked as they slipped through the small tables toward the back of the room.

The boys had two binders in front of them and some pens. At first glance, Junhui saw about five lines in one binder, and two in the other. If he had to guess, people were more willing to showcase their talents than to be used as auction dates.

“A few,” Hansol replied as he got up to stretch. “Janice and Chad said they might drop by later.”

Soonyoung let out a soft groan, his eyes moving to the ceiling. “Don’t tell me Chad still wants to play magician.”

Laughing, Seungkwan confirmed it. “He promises he’s gotten much better. I couldn’t say no, he gave me that puppy dog stare.”

“You should have closed your eyes then,” Soonyoung said in a tired voice, bemoaning their fates.

The truth was, they all liked Chad fine. He’s been going to school with them since elementary, and he was a really nice and regular guy. Except for his tendency to practice magic tricks wherever he went. It was cute in the beginning, but after getting assaulted with milk and egg tricks over and over again, the whole thing got old fast. If he were good at it, no one would complain. The fact was, though, he couldn’t perform a trick to save his life. Numerous times, Junhui wished the guy could perfect the act of disappearing into thin air to save everyone from further embarrassment, including himself and his sister.

Chad and Janice were twins, which was probably why he always dragged her along as his “assistant,” much to her chagrin.

“Well,” Seungkwan got up from his seat. “I knew just how much you _love_ watching him make milk disappear,” he laughed, while Soonyoung rolled his eyes.

In the sixth grade talent show at the end of the year, Chad had wanted to show everyone his new trick: pour milk into his hat, then making it disappear. Ideally, when he turned the hat over, nothing would spill out. He would call a volunteer up and make him or her wear the hat to prove that the milk had completely disappeared. Said volunteer had been Soonyoung. When he went home that afternoon, even his socks were soaked with milk. He smelled like yogurt for a week.

“Did he at least say what he was attempting today?” Soonyoung asked wearily. “So I have time to grab some rain gear.”

“It’s a surprise!” Seungkwan sang with a laugh. “Good luck!” Leaving on such a good note, the younger boys went over to get some coffee and exited the building.

Soonyoung and Junhui sat behind the table and glanced over the names. The latter recognized a few from the Talent list, but the names on the Auction sheet did not ring any bells.

“I’m not sure why,” he said after an hour of doing nothing, except buying coffee and pastries, “but I thought this recruiting thing was going to be a whole lot more exciting.”

Yawning and putting a hand over his mouth, Soonyoung nodded in agreement. “Me, too. They make it so easy on tv shows.” He sighed. “I think I’m gonna take a nap.”

“Just don’t look like that guy,” Junhui giggled, discreetly pointing toward the man three tables away. He had a book open, his face buried into it as he slept soundly. Every few seconds, he’d snort, mumbling into the pages.

“Oh, god,” Soonyoung laughed softly. “Please push me off of my chair if I get even close to doing that.” Junhui giggled, leaving the poor man alone.

The door at the front of the place opened, and in stepped Minghao. He looked around a second, then found them.

“Wow…” He glanced around. “You have no idea of the crowd I had to fight off just to get here,” he remarked sarcastically at the lack of sign ups.

“Yeah, well, I guess we’re just _that_ popular,” Soonyoung stuck out his tongue at him. Minghao chuckled.

“Are you here for coffee?” Junhui wondered. There was a Starbucks right across the street from the garage. He didn’t have to walk five blocks.

“I’ll grab something on the way out,” he answered as he dug for something in his pocket. “But Hana asked me to give you this.” He handed them a flash-drive.

Confused, Soonyoung took the device and asked, “What’s on here? Is she blackmailing me for something I might have done in high school?” Only Soonyoung could come straight out and say things like that about Minghao’s girlfriend and get away with it. Being Junhui’s best friend for so long, he was practically like Minghao’s brother, too. In a way, Soonyoung spoke aloud everything Junhui wanted to but didn’t have the guts to say.

“Her audition entry,” Minghao answered with a smile.

“Why didn’t she come here herself?” Junhui asked. “It’s not like we were gonna do anything to her.”

Soonyoung muttered, “You say that as if you don’t go running the other direction when she comes anywhere close.”

“Shhh!”

Minghao shrugged, ignoring their hushed conversation. “She thought it'd be easier if I delivered it.”

“We do not favor nepotism!” Soonyoung exclaimed dramatically. “Wait, that’s kinda redundant. Well, whatever! She didn’t have to worry about that. It’s just the summer festival, not a job interview.”

Minghao shrugged again, discarding the situation as inconsequential. As he did most things.

“So what’s her talent?” Soonyoung wanted to know as he pulled out his laptop from its sleeve. _If she even has a talent_ , Junhui could almost hear him add under his breath.

“She sings.”

Grabbing the binder and a pen, Junhui jotted down her name and what she wanted to do.

“M’kay.” Soonyoung turned the computer on and waited for it to load up. “We will review this entry and get back to her,” he told him in the voice he probably used when he slipped into his accountant role.

Rolling his eyes, Minghao nodded. “Right, thank you so much for your time, Mr. Kwon.”

The other laughed. “What about you, my good sir? May I interest you in our date auction? Oh! And what about Mingyu? Would he be interested, too?”

Junhui hid his face behind his hands to muffle his laughter. Minghao glanced at his brother’s shaking shoulders, then back to Soonyoung, wondering if he was serious. “Date auction,” he repeated, and Soonyoung nodded. “I think I’ll pass, but I’ll ask Gyu for you.”

“Wonderful!” Soonyoung exclaimed dramatically. “Please let me know ASAP.”

Junhui was still laughing when Minghao nodded slowly. “Okay, then,” he said, chuckling. “See you guys later.” Waving at them, he went to grab some coffee then returned to the garage.

“Are you high on frosting or something?” Junhui laughed.

“Not sure,” he shrugged, tapping his chin thoughtfully. “Guess I was so glad that _someone_ came just when I was about to fall asleep that I overcompensated.”

Junhui giggled. “Okay. I wanna hear how Cho Hana sounds like now.”

“Did you know she sings?” Soonyoung asked as he inserted the flash-drive into the slot. “Uh… Is this right? How do I make this work?”

“Why do you even have a laptop if you can’t use it?” Junhui wondered, laughing as he took control.

“I’m technology-impaired! It’s not my fault!”

Junhui could only laugh as he consoled his best friend.

The icon popped up on the screen, and after a few clicks, they began to hear the intro of some Carpenters song. Surprised did not even begin to describe how Junhui felt after the song ended. Hana was actually... really good.

The boys shared a look, unsure how to process this fact. It wasn’t autotuned, and it was her voice. Yet his brain couldn’t add it all up.

“Don’t tell me she might actually win this thing,” Soonyoung commented, taking out the earphone. Although Soonyoung, Chan, Seungkwan, and Hansol were in charge of the fest, they weren’t the judges at any of the events.

“Well, who else do we have?” As Junhui asked the question, he pulled the binder toward him to read off the talents. “Bernie and his jazz band are good. Siwon’s band won last year, so I’m sure they won’t disappoint. Um, this Ho Jihyun is also singing. Wait, how come Jihoon isn’t on here?”

“Ah. Our small town celebrity got picked for a project abroad. He probably won’t be able around for a couple more weeks.”

“Aww,” Junhui frowned. “I was looking forward to hearing his new music. Oh, look!” He pointed at the next name. “Someone is going to demonstrate his talent in archery?”

Soonyoung glanced over. “Meh, I’ve already seen you guys set records. I won’t be impressed by anyone other than Robin Hood himself!”

They laughed.

“Anyway, looks like the competition is pretty fierce this year, even without Jihoon.”

“Especially since I’ll be in the mix!”

When the boys glanced up, there was Chad, his red hair looking almost orange today. Junhui wondered if that was a result of some trick gone wrong. Behind him, Janice looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here at the moment.

“Hi, Chad. Hey, Janice,” he smiled sympathetically at her. She gave Junhui a pained expression, then sighed.

“Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Are you ready to see the winning performance?” Chad was so enthusiastic. Just hearing him talk was enough to wake anyone up.

“What are you going to attempt today?” Soonyoung asked cautiously. “Should I go borrow an umbrella?”

“No, no, no!” He totally missed the sarcasm. “There won’t be any milk or liquids today.” Inhaling deeply, he focused his attention on making the next sentence sound like the most important thing the audience will ever hear. “I will attempt to cut off my own foot!”

There was a pause as Junhui blinked. Soonyoung noted, “I thought you said there won’t be any liquid—”

“Shhh!” he hushed him, his eyes closed in deep concentration. If the people around hadn’t already known who he was, he would probably appear as a lunatic.

As usual, ever since Soonyoung and Junhui had known him, Chad had on a pair of oversized jeans and sneakers, with a horrendous shirt. They’d even asked Janice where he went to get such ugly tees, once. She had shaken her head, saying that he had a friend who worked at some t-shirt company, who would hand out the defective tees to Chad to do whatever he wanted. Two questions arose in Junhui’s head: what kind of shirt did they create to yield that kind of defective products? Why would Chad even wear shirts that were supposed to be thrown out?

Apart from the crazy outfit, his shaggy hair was brighter than usual, and he was speaking like he was some tv show host. Despite being his twin, Janice behaved like a regular, normal young lady. Her hair was long and straight, very well managed.

“No blood shall be lost, only skepticism!” he boomed.

A few people turned around to stare, prompting his sister to tug on his arm. “Would you stop talking like that? It’s embarrassing!”

“Fear not, dear sister!” he rambled on. “In just a few seconds, everyone will see what I am capable of!”

“Oh, good Lord.” Janice put a hand over her face, wishing she could disappear.

“Earth to Chad,” Soonyoung waved his hand in front of him. “Chad!” He snapped out of his heroic pose. “Please tell me you’re kidding. I don’t want the paramedics to get here to try to salvage your crazy amputation.”

“They won’t have to,” he declared, although somewhat less loudly now. “Look, I know I always mess up my tricks at the last minute, but this time I got it down. Please, just... Just give me two minutes.” There was the puppy dog stare. Not as easy to look away from it as Soonyoung criticized Seungkwan earlier.

“Okay, fine,” he relented. “But if I see even one drop of blood, I am putting a stop to it.”

“All right!” he grinned like a child on Christmas morning.

He grabbed hold of a table nearby and pulled it closer to them, while Janice began to open the zipper of the backpack they’d brought. Chad sat on the edge of the table and pulled one leg up to rest his foot on the corner. Janice brought over a large, green, satiny fabric and waited for him to raise the pant leg up to reveal his ankle. She spread the cloth over his shoe, covering part of his shin. Then she handed him a saw that had about dozens of stickers on it, warning everyone that it was a professional tool and to keep it away from children.

With practiced ease, he held the blade and examined it as if it were some foreign object. Once satisfied, he placed it where his ankle was behind the green cloth. Grinning cheekily, he glanced at the small crowd that had formed around them, and he began to saw his own foot. The blade looked to be moving back and forth, back and forth. All the while, his grin stayed in place on his beaming face.

Some groaned as he got going. His acting skills quite remarkable as he demonstrated the effort it took to do the job. Junhui had to admit, he was completely into it, completely invested in the trick, eyes lighting up in excitement. Soonyoung watched with trepidation and curiosity.

Finally, the last motion severed the foot and it fell to the floor, taking with it part of the green fabric. More groans erupted as it rolled a few inches on the floor, and Junhui gasped.

Quick as a flash, Chad pulled down the pant leg and hopped down from the table. His sister rushed to his side, giving him support as he limped around a bit, which couldn’t be easy since he apparently lost a foot. Arriving at the spot where the cloth and his foot had landed, he bent down and retrieved his amputated body part, before hopping back on the edge of the table.

There, with Janice’s help, he grabbed his foot through the fabric and placed it at the end of his leg. Chad smoothed over the position a few times, then recited his magic words. In a moment of silence, as his eyes scanned the crowd one more time, he pulled the cloth away, revealing his foot where it should be, perfectly intact. He even wiggled his toes. No blood spilled. A round of applause issued, as he and Janice took a bow. He was ecstatic, and Janice did look grateful and perhaps even enjoying the applause for a change.

“Thank you, thank you,” he took a couple more bows as everyone dispersed.

“Wow,” Junhui grinned, clapping enthusiastically. “That was so cool!”

“Yeah,” Soonyoung seemed speechless. “I am impressed.”

Chad grinned, hardly able to contain himself. “Thanks. So, does that mean I get to perform?”

“Definitely,” Soonyoung laughed, grabbing a pen and scribbling down his name and act. “Just don’t forget to practice more until then.”

“We will,” he cleaned up his props. “Thanks, guys.”

“See ya,” Janice smiled and followed him out.

“Wow,” Soonyoung leaned back against his chair. “Who knew there would come a day when I would think that Chad Gilbert might win the talent show!”

Smiling, Junhui agreed. “Now if only the auction had as much success as the talent show.”

“We should have more publicity,” he thought aloud. “Like post signs around.”

“You made flyers?”

“I started to.” Soonyoung pulled a poster from his backpack. “We can go make copies after we’re done here.”

“Then go ask people if they’re okay with you taping flyers in their stores?”

“Sure.” He showed Junhui the prototype. Mostly it advertised the summer fest approaching and calling people to come participate. There was also a section at the bottom that asked for contestants in the various competitions, and of course, the auction. “What do you think?”

“Yeah, it looks good. Don’t forget to add a way for people to contact you if they’re interested,” Junhui pointed out.

“Oh, right.” He fixed it a bit, and the flyer was done. “What time is it?”

“10:10”

Soonyoung burst out laughing, and Junhui giggled. “4:40, alright. Twenty minutes before we’re released from duty.”

By ten to five, the boys decided to call it a day. They collected the binders and put back the tables and chairs before going out the door.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Does this count as progress for wonhui? lol
> 
> soonyoung continuing to tease junnie about wonu is hilarious, if i do say so myself. 
> 
> so next chapter is gonna be a short wonu pov, BUT it should provide some background info on him (finally!). i'll have it up in a couple days (hopefully). 
> 
> thank you very much for reading! see you soon! ^_^  
> xoxoxo


	9. Shoot the Messenger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo questions everything he knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woooooo a Wonu chapter! This one is a little bit longer, so it gets a moodboard lol. but also INFORMATION!!! 
> 
> As a reminder, Minsoo is the girl Jun saw running out of the Jeon House on his first day at work. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> -

 

 

 

_July_

 

Why does his blood crystalize?

Wen Junhui is human. His looks, his smell, his feel. Certainly his actions and way of thinking are human-like. Then why doesn’t his blood act human? As if Wonwoo needed more distractions from his quest. The more time he spent with him, the more Junhui confused him. No sane person would act the way he did. “I’m paying it forward,” he said. Well, he might end up paying a lot more than he was willing or even knew.

Never having experienced that much altruism for no apparent reason from anyone, Wonwoo’s time in Diamond Creek observing and interacting with Junhui left him puzzled in how to reciprocate. With Minsoo, it was different due to their relationship, but even then, Wonwoo felt unprepared to deal with any sort of affection or tenderness. He’d never learned how to respond to such emotions. Vile people he knew how to approach and deal with. That was easy in comparison.

Sighing, Wonwoo stared up at the ceiling. Now as he laid on Junhui's couch, he wondered how he would have to repay this undesired debt.

Raised by the Clan, he was taught discipline and obedience above all else. The only other quality coming even close was loyalty, made all the more significant to him by his family’s past.

He used to be in control of every aspect of his life, of what he expected of others, and what was expected of him. Coming to Diamond Creek had stripped him of anything absolute.

The town was supposed to be wary of him, everyone should have been afraid to even be in his presence, much less speak to him. For the most part, at least that expectation came to fruition. Wherever he went, people would take alternate routes to keep a safe distance between him and them. Whenever he surveyed the crowd, people would avert their faces, keeping their gazes low and downcast. They flinched when he approached, bodies tensing up when he addressed them.

And he welcomed it, glad of the freedom their dread offered him. He could travel around town without wandering eyes watching his every move. It should have been easy.

But then he met the Wens, whose son confounded him.

Junhui made it his life goal to come to those in need, including the ones who would rather see him dead. Or in Wonwoo’s case, someone who scared him half to death by merely being in the same room as him. Yet Junhui continued to push forward.

Seeing him at it was enough to make Wonwoo’s blood boil. Too much kindness. Too much vulnerability. Too weak.

Of course that wasn’t the full extent of it. As if the universe needed to prove that it loathed him even more than Wonwoo already realized, Junhui’s blood didn’t behave as it should, either.

Groaning, Wonwoo put an arm under his head, frustrated.

He came here to find the Stone that would save his Clan, hoping that in the process, he would learn more about his connected past with Taeseung and Mikyung. All his life, everything he’d known of his ancestral history had been retold to him by the Elders. Even though he trusted them more than anyone, a small part of him had still nagged that there was more to the stories than what they say.

Now that he’d come to live in the town that changed everything, he wasn’t sure which path to take any longer. The plan was so simple: come to Diamond Creek, renovate the old house as a cover, then dig through some history for his own research.

Here he was, almost two weeks in, and nothing he’d learned turned out to be useful. He had to get his mind back on track, ignore the way Wen Junhui behaved, and especially stop obsessing over his blood.

Furthermore, if Junhui wanted to play hero and smother everyone with his kindness, Wonwoo shouldn't feel anything about it, even if watching the kid do it aggravated him to no end.

Like the way Junhui had wanted to throw himself into the thorn bushes to save that cat and her kittens. Wonwoo had had to grit his teeth in order not to lose it when he’d pulled Junhui back and prevented him from getting his arm torn up. What a foolish boy.

Wonwoo was raised to pay back what he owed, and he was counting on it. But that and Junhui working on the house was the extent to which he was willing to get involved with the Wens.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

Minsoo sat on the steps of the Jeon House the next morning as Wonwoo drove into the lot. In the daylight, the significance of the fire really stood out starkly against the blue sky. The water had evaporated thanks to the heat, but the charred beams and walls offered a jarring contrast to the nearly untouched front of the house. Some pieces from the second story had crashed to the ground at some point since last night, resulting in black and burned debris all over that side of the yard. The smell of soot still lingered in the air.

He parked the car and moved toward the girl.

Minsoo’s expression changed from worry to relief when he got closer for her to determine that he was unharmed and still in one piece.

She smiled, her silvery blond locks and pale skin glistening in the sunlight like some wood fairy. Those features always made it ironic for her to acquire the epithet Black Sheep. Of course, to become the black sheep of the Clan, Minsoo’s actions and beliefs spoke louder than her appearance. For some unknown reason—probably birth defects—Minsoo’s thoughts and behavior resembled that of a human’s most of the time, except for her diet, obviously.

“It was about time you showed up,” she smiled, her high voice cheerful. “I was starting to wonder if you either ran away or got consumed by the flames.”

“I don’t run away from anything.”

Giving him a patient look, she nodded. “I know. Just teasing.”

He sighed. “I was with the Wens.”

Her violet eyes widened in surprise. “You spent the night at the human boy’s house with his family?”

“I was forced to, yes.”

“Jeon Wonwoo, since the day I’ve known you, I have not once seen you do anything you didn’t want to,” she commented.

“Either I did what her mother suggested,” he said, “or I told them what I really am and watch them run in fear for their lives. The latter would have been entertaining, but too messy to clean up afterward.”

She laughed, the sound echoing around the empty hill. “Well, I’m sure they took good care of you.”

“Sure.” He shrugged, uninterested.

Minsoo glanced at the house, asking softly, “What happened?”

“A bunch of kids thought it’d be amusing to set off some firecrackers and burn up a pool of gasoline.” Speaking of that, he went to check if the police had disposed of the fuel.Minsoo followed a few steps behind him.

“Oh, my... Did they get hurt?” It wouldn’t be Minsoo if she didn’t ask about the welfare of those punks.

“They’re fine. If you stick around, you’ll probably see them wearing those orange jackets and picking up trash by the highway within a few days.”

The hole they dug had been emptied and cleaned up. Good. One less thing for him to take care of, Wonwoo thought, going toward the kitchen wall, or what was left of it.

“But it’s so hot and sunny,” Minsoo mused, still thinking of those kids. “Making them stand out in the sun the whole day...”

“They’re lucky they’re not going to jail. Or died,” he noted. She didn’t comment on that.

Wonwoo began to gather the larger pieces of debris together, before he attempted to scoop up the rest into the trash bins. “Did you eat yet?” he asked her.

As part of her apparent genetic disorder, Minsoo couldn’t hunt, either. That was the main reason why she showed up to find him every couple days, so he could take her hunting before she starved. The rest of the Clan were not always as understanding of her condition as he was.

“Yes, I did. Namsoon shared some of the wolf he caught, or so he says.” She paused a second, wrinkling her nose. “It tasted more like a coyote, though.”

“That’s good,” Wonwoo said, throwing the last pieces of wood and plaster into the pile. Next, he went over to the gardening tools he’d left by the wall and picked up a shovel. On the way, he pulled with him the trash bins. Minsoo was looking up at the structure of the house again.

“What a shame,” she sighed. “This was such a beautiful house—still is, actually.”

He didn’t comment. As far as houses went, he’d seen worse and better. Although to be honest, even if he didn’t want to admit it, he did feel sorry. Taeseung built it himself, after all. Despite his complicated feelings toward his ancestor, he could still appreciate the effort that went into it.

After a few minutes of silence, Minsoo spoke up. “Did you find out what you were looking for yet?”

“What are you talking about, the Stone? I wouldn’t be here if I had found it.” When he glanced back, she shook her head.

“I meant, extra information about your family. I know you’ve contemplated how little you knew about them outside of what is considered common knowledge.”

“I don’t need to go look for more. The Elders have told me everything I need to know, right?” Stopping momentarily, he stared at her, reading her reaction to his statement.

She hesitated for only a fraction of a second, but he saw it. “R-r-right, of course,” she stammered, lying.

He hated liars, and Minsoo was a lousy one. If you were going to lie to his face, at least do it well. Narrowing his eyes, he turned his back on her and dug through the mess with more force.

“Is there something bothering you, Wonwoo?” she asked hesitantly.

“Nope. Everything is fucking fantastic.” He shoved the charred remnants into the trash, each hit a little harder than the last.

“Look at you! If you don’t let up soon, you’re going to end up breaking the shovel.”

For a long minute, he didn’t say anything. He just kept working, the sound of metal hitting wood and plaster the only thing audible. He wished the steady rhythm could calm him down, but no success.

“I’ve told you that he’s seen me as the demon that I am, haven’t I?” Wonwoo asked eventually, gritting his teeth.

Even though he didn’t look back, he felt her confusion as she answered. “Junhui? Yes, you have.”

Another second passed. “You’ve seen me bleed before, right?”

“Yes,” she replied slowly. “I’ve tended to your wounds before.”

“So you know my blood doesn’t act like yours and the rest of the Clan. Do you know why that’s the case?”

Fed up with it, she sighed. “What are you trying to get at, Wonwoo? Why are you asking me all of these questions of all a sudden, when you know all of the answers. You’re still partially human. Our kind and human blood don’t mix well.”

He’d had enough. Spinning around to face her, Wonwoo planted the shovel into the ground, breaking the head from the handle. She started, backing away a couple steps.

“Then explain to me why Junhui’s blood behaves like mine!”

Her mouth hung open, forming an O as she stared back at him, utterly confused and shocked. “What?”

“Last week, he hurt his leg and he hid it from me, saying it was just a scratch.” He barked a humorless bark. “But I felt something was off, so I grabbed him and looked at the gash.” Pausing, he shook his head, smile bitter. “His blood flowed out and crystalized as soon as it cooled from his body temperature. He’s human, Min, completely human. So tell me, how is that even possible?”

Minsoo couldn’t give him any answers. She blinked, completely at a loss just as Wonwoo was. Finally, she took in a breath and let it out, shaking her head in surrender. “I don’t know, Wonwoo. I really don’t.”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “Neither do I.” The shovel landed in the trash bin with a loud bang, almost knocking the bin over. “What else have the Elders hidden from me?” he thought aloud, gazing out into the woods.

“I’m sure they will answer all of your questions once you come back with the Stone,” she noted in a small voice. He knew his anger scared her, but it wasn’t something he could control.

“Right,” he agreed absentmindedly. “Can’t forget that.”

“Have you had any clues of where it could be?”

He shook his head. “Somewhere in town is all I know. Buried under one of the shopswould be my guess.”

Nodding, she folded her arms in front of her, holding herself together. This was usually a sign of Minsoo trying to get through a situation she was uncomfortable with. He narrowed his eyes, waiting for it.

“Um... The Elders have asked me to check up on your progress if I ever crossed paths with you.”

“Oh, great.” He scoffed. “Just tell them I’m still going at it. If they think they can do a better job, they are welcome to it.”

“Wonwoo!” she chastised, quickly checking around them as if the Elders could overhear them. “You shouldn’t provoke them like that!”

“Then they shouldn’t have kept secrets from me!” he shot back.

To blow some steam, Wonwoo walked over to the small shed to retrieve another shovel and got back to work. She stood clear of his path. After some time, she spoke again.

“We’re all counting on you, Wonwoo. That’s all.”

Groaning, he gripped the handle tighter and worked faster. He’d heard this speech so many times before, but it had never bothered him until today.

“Once we have the Healing Stone, the Tarac River will flow once more, and our land and people will flourish like new. Without the Stone, everything we know and love has an expiration date.”

She didn’t have to remind him. That river was slowly draining, a little more everyday. Without its water, the Clan couldn’t survive. They needed the Healing Stone to revert its effects.

Merely two weeks ago, Wonwoo was positive those were absolute facts. Didn’t question them. But now that he’d come to face the latest discoveries about Junhui’s blood and his, he had to wonder what else the Clan kept him from. What else had they not told him?

Ever since he found out about Junhui’s secret, he’d been in denial that anything had changed. But in telling Minsoo this morning, he’d had to confront the truth and accept it. Something was amiss.

All his life he’d believed everything the Elders told him, but was it all true? For so long, he’d closed his eyes and listened to them without question, obeyed every single order given. Now he had to ponder the legitimacy of what he’d learned about his family, question whether he even knew the whole story as he’d believed for so long. And above all, he needed to learn their connection to Diamond Creek.

Funny how one boy can change his life-long perspective.

Finding out about Junhui was like a catalyst that made Wonwoo doubt a lot of things. If the Elders lied to him about his own genetic makeup—something so fundamental—what were the chances it was the only detail they hid from him?

Maybe all this time thinking he was in control was just an illusion. Maybe the reality was that they were in control of him.

As irrational as it was—only worse because he knew it was ridiculous—he hated Junhui for it. It wasn’t the boy’s fault; Junhui didn’t ask to get his leg ripped open, but Wonwoo’s anger and frustration had to go toward something nearby.

Shoot the messenger, as it were.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN (i say that too much lol anyway...)
> 
> I hope this has cleared up a little bit of your questions about Wonu! 
> 
> **Just to be clear:** Wonu's blood also crystalizes, and growing up, he's been told that it's bc he's part demon/part human, which is why his blood is being weird (the rest of his Clan don't have crystal blood. It flows normally, but is a different color than human blood). But Jun is 100% human, so why does his blood ALSO crystalize??? In other words, SOMETHING connects WonHui, and Wonu is really frustrated bc he doesn't know what that is, or why the Elders have been lying to him about it. 
> 
> If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!
> 
> THE TRUTH SHALL BE REVEALED IN CH. 10 😱 So look forward to that hahaha.
> 
> Thank you very much for reading, and have a wonderful weekend! ^_^  
> xoxoxo


	10. The Nature of the Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun encounters jerks, and Wonu meets someone with answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! 
> 
> I received a lot of really good theories from last chapter. Let's find out how close you guys got!
> 
> -

 

  

“Where to, Captain?” Junhui asked Soonyoung as they exited the bakery.

After improving the flyers and getting them photocopied, the pair had walked up to various stores and restaurants in the strip-mall and asked to post the ad on their vitrine. Done with the area, now they had to decide where they should head off to next to be most efficient.

“Let’s try downtown,” Soonyoung suggested. “And if we pass by anything promising on the way, we can drop by.”

“Sure. Just remind me to stop somewhere to buy cat food,” Junhui said.

“Why? Did you get a cat recently?”

“Not exactly,” he replied, elaborating about Jelly and her kittens.

Last night outside his house, Wonwoo did mention that he was checking up on them before the fire broke out. Since he hadn’t said anything else, it must have meant that they would be all right throughout the commotion. Still, Junhui wanted to visit them and bring them some food. Something told him that Wonwoo was only going so far as providing them with a roof and possibly water. He could hardly imagine him shopping for treats or cat toys on his trip to pick up house building materials.

“Aw, that’s so sweet,” Soonyoung giggled. “I didn’t picture him as a cat person.”

“Why? Did you think he was a dog person?”

Soonyoung burst out laughing. “No, I mean that he doesn’t really project a philanthropic vibe, you know? He’s so closed off, not that I blame him. But anyway. It’s a little surprising that he would have kept them and cared enough to look after the mama cat’s injured leg. Most people would just call animal control.”

“Guess he does have a heart,” Junhui muttered.

Soonyoung chuckled, but Junhui was serious. He could still see Wonwoo wincing as if in pain every time he had to show some sort of emotion other than annoyance or anger. Junhui had no idea what his deal was, but anyone who took pleasure in seeing another person squirm in fear had to be a monster. Considering what he knew about him, he supposed it was fitting. Wonwoo was the only individual Junhui knew who showed disgust when confronted with kindness. (Maybe he was allergic?)

No matter the case, Junhui felt bad for him. To have grown up that way, Wonwoo must not have had that much tenderness and love in his life. Or perhaps the reason was simpler than that: it was just the nature of the beast.

As the flyering duty continued, Junhui pushed Wonwoo out of his head and kept up easy conversation with Soonyoung. They were winding down to about five flyers around eight o’clock, when Mrs. Kwon called Soonyoung to remind him to buy milk and eggs, which he had obviously forgotten until then. Deciding to finish at the market on Easthaven Blvd, they taped the last flyer outside of _Smile Flower!_ photo shop.

Inside the tiny corner market, they kept the air conditioning setting so low, it was pretty much nonexistent. The only sign that it ran was the loud clunking sound the vents made every few minutes. A single cashier was on duty, standing behind the counter, filing her nails with a bored expression. She looked a bit older than them, with large, black curls. She glanced up when they passed by, sighed heavily, then went back to her nails.

“Man, this place is depressing,” Junhui said under his breath as they moved to the back, searching for the pet aisle.

“Seriously,” Soonyoung agreed. “I’d probably go insane working here every day.”

“We’re also the only ones here,” the other noted as he scanned the shelf, looking for what he needed.

“Creepy,” Soonyoung shuddered in a mocking manner. “How about this one?” he tapped a bag of cat food with his finger. “That’s the one with the funny commercial.”

“Oh, yeah! I like that commercial.” Checking the price, Junhui picked the medium sized bag and dropped it onto the cart. “Thanks. Without you, I might have stood here and read all the bags before deciding on one.”

“Glad to be helping,” he grinned, offering an enthusiastic salute.

Even the freezers and refrigerators were depressing. Mainly, there were only four, two of each. One contained nothing but tv dinners and microwavable snacks. The boys shared a look.

“Now I know why I never shop here,” Soonyoung commented, opening the fridge and grabbing a gallon of milk.

“Wait!” he stopped him, gesturing at the bottle. “Check the date. Who knows when they actually get a chance to restock.”

“Oh, good thinking.” Soonyoung made sure the expiration date wasn’t today or tomorrow, then opened the other fridge to grab a carton of eggs. “We usually go through two of these per week,” he informed him, “but one will have to do for now. I’ll go shopping for more tomorrow.” Flipping open the cover to look for cracked shells, he made a face at the eggs. “Ugh. Look at these!”

Junhui suppressed a laugh. “It’s not their fault they’re tiny. At least there’s no broken ones.”

“I guess.” Scowl in place, he turned the carton all around. “How much do they cost, though?”

No price tag. They checked the shelves for one, but apparently their eggs were so unpopular, there was no need for a price tag.

“If they’re the same price as the large AA ones, I’m not getting them. Chan and company will have to skip their omelets and scrambled eggs in the morning.”

“I would not want to be one of your brothers,” Junhui kid, and he rolled his eyes.

“There’ll be plenty of kimchi fried rice to fill their bellies.”

“And yours.”

Soonyoung laughed.

Obviously, there was no line. The girl heaved a huge sigh at the sight of them, then dropped her nail file as if ringing customers up was the equivalent of the world’s most bothersome task. She started scanning the items without so much as a “Hello.” Junhui quietly paid for the cat food and stood to the side to wait for Soonyoung.

“How much are the eggs?” he asked right as the cashier grabbed the carton.

“Didn’t you check the price tag?” the latter asked in a condescending tone, as if they were too stupid to think of that.

“We didn’t see one,” Soonyoung replied, still civil.

“Clearly, you didn’t look in the right place,” she insisted. “Just go and check.”

Starting to get annoyed, he furrowed his brows. “Can’t you just scan it and tell me?”

The cashier, Taylor M., heaved another sigh. This time irritated. _Beep_. “3.99,” she snapped.

“For a dozen eggs?” Soonyoung questioned. “No, thanks. I’ll just get the milk.”

She scanned the milk, then turned to Soonyoung, holding the egg carton in her hand. “You don’t want it, go put it back.”

“Excuse me?” Soonyoung stopped digging for some bills.

Taylor repeated what she said a minute earlier, unflinching. “Go put it back where you found it if you don’t want to buy it.”

_What the heck_.

Junhui made a face, not registering this. Since when did a store cashier make a customer put back a product they no longer wanted? Not to mention in such a rude tone, too. A second after the slight confusion washed over him, unease and anxiety crashed in. Kwon Fire wasn’t just a cute nickname from summer camp. Soonyoung had a temper. If left alone, he was going to explode.

Gripping the bag of cat food tighter in front of his chest like a shield, Junhui stepped forward. “Hoshi, it’s okay, I’ll do it—”

“No!” he spun toward his friend and pointed at him, eyes ablaze. “You stay out of this, Junnie.” Staring back at Taylor incredulously, Soonyoung asked, “What is your problem? I’d have gone to put them back anyway. You didn’t have to get all antagonistic and rude just because I don’t want to buy your overpriced eggs!”

“Look.” Taylor dropped the eggs onto the conveyor belt with a _thunk_.

Junhui winced, hoping none of them broke.

She leaned forward, one hand on her hip as she jabbed her perfect manicured finger at Soonyoung’s chest. “I have to come to work every fucking day from six to eight thirty, serving people like you who don’t give a damn about anyone but themselves. If you’re gonna show up ten minutes before closing, after I already cleaned the floors and put everything away, at least have the decency to buy more than two items. Well, honey, if you could bring it all the way out here—” She picked up the carton and shoved it into Soonyoung’s hands. “You can put it back.”

Soonyoung might have gone into some kind of shock, because it took him a second to register what was happening. “Wow…” He opened his mouth to say something, but then his eyes narrowed on her face. Junhui knew that look. The gears in the young accountant’s head were spinning. Eventually, he mumbled, “Wait a second. Taylor M... Min, perhaps?”

The fact that Soonyoung knew her full name surprised her, as it did Junhui. The name did sound familiar, but he had no idea from where or why it mattered.

Soonyoung went on, “You’re the one who spread that lie about us stealing from another student’s work and almost got us eliminated from the competition!”

Junhui’s mouth fell open as he watched the scene, totally losing track of the situation now. He remembered the fiasco, though. During Minghao’s last year in high school, the three of them, along with Chan, were part of a dance group. They competed in the school talent show for a grand prize of $100 and tickets to various restaurants and movies. On the day of the show, the judges came up to them and said they would have to be disqualified because another student claimed they stole her song, along with her choreography.

The boys had been furious, and Soonyoung nearly lost his temper were it not for Junhui practically hugging him and keeping his legs and arms trapped. Thankfully, the misunderstanding was quickly resolved by Jihoon showing them his music files and notes, and Chan pulling up their dance rehearsal videos, along with Soonyoung’s dance notebook. In the end, they won first prize, but Soonyoung had continued to fume at the slander.

Now Junhui watched on with dread, eyes shifting back from the cashier to Soonyoung, ready to drag him away if need be.

“Being petty in high school wasn’t enough, now you’re bullying us again over _eggs?_ Have you no hobby?”

Taylor’s eyes narrowed as she began to seethe. That left his friend oblivious as he continued to taunt the apparent saboteur.

“Moreover! The fact that you have to be here at six is sadly called ‘work’ and it doesn’t involve bossing the customers around or being jerks to them. I don’t know what your problem is, but you need to stop. Taking it out on others isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

“Who the hell do you think you are? You have no right to lecture me—”

“Hey!” Soonyoung snapped. “What gives _you_ the right to treat me as you did? What did I ever do to you?” He exploded, baffled. “Do you have some kind grudge against me since high school or something?” Then something occurred to him, and he straightened up. “Hold on… Now I remember. You used to date Jaehyun, didn’t you? Did you think bullying us is somehow gonna win you his favor again?”

Gritting her teeth, she ordered, “Get out of my store.”

Soonyoung rolled his eyes and scoffed. “Don’t have to tell me twice. Leaving behind the milk and eggs, Soonyoung walked away.

Junhui was still frozen in his stupor, blinking rapidly, trying to make his head work. Soonyoung came over and grabbed his arm, pulling him away toward the front entrance. As soon as they stepped outside, the door shut behind them with so much force, Junhui glanced back to make sure it shatter in a million pieces. He caught Taylor’s eyes for a second, and they were filled with tears.

Soonyoung didn’t cool off for another five minutes, during which they just wandered the streets. Junhui gave him a piece of candy, hoping it’ll appease him, and he stuffed it in his mouth, chewing angrily. If Junhui weren’t so worried about him, he would have giggled at the funny faces.

The neon signs bathed the streets in pinks and blues, as across the street the pizza house erupted in laughter when someone opened the door. Junhui found a bench overlooking the floral shop, and they sat down.

“Never had I seen that kind of behavior in my life,” Soonyoung said, disbelief coloring his voice. “Unbelievable.”

“How did you know so much about her?” he wondered.

“I know things,” he snickered. “I mean, you and Hansol are probably the only ones who don’t pay attention enough to be kept up with the latest happenings of this town. But anyway, hard to believe that even Jaehyun has someone who loves him enough to get obsessive over him.”

“You mean her?”

“Yeah, apparently the reason he dumped her was because she stalked him to work and stuff, inviting herself into his house.”

“Creepy…” Junhui mumbled, and Soonyoung nodded.

“Yeah, seriously. Jaehyun’s a dick, but I have to agree with him on this one. I still have no idea why she sabotaged our performance.”

Not knowing either, Junhui shrugged.

They stayed quiet for a while. There were less cars in the streets now that it was getting later in the evening, but occasionally, one or two would pass by, then either parked or continued down Amarut St.

“Maybe she’s just upset and doesn’t know how else to…” He wiggled his hands around. “Doesn’t know how to express it.”

“There are worst things in the world. If everyone used that excuse, we’d be flooded with assholes. We’d _all_ be assholes,” Soonyoung retorted. “I don’t even have to think all that hard: you, for example. You could’ve turned into a bitter angry asshole without a heart, who says ‘screw the world!’, but you didn’t. Or when I dislocated my shoulder and couldn’t dance for a while. I didn’t turn into a grouch and bite off people’s heads.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“But...” he prompted, knowing his friend’s tone of voice well enough.

“But as we were leaving, I noticed her tears, and I can’t help but think that she does know it’s wrong.”

“So we know she’s not a sociopath, yay!” Soonyoung raised his hands and waved them slightly in sarcasm. “But she still gotta take responsibility for her action and the consequences that follow.”

“I know.”

“Come on.” He patted Junhui’s knee. “Let’s get going. I still need to buy eggs and milk.”

Deep down, he knew Soonyoung was right. Taylor’s behavior was unacceptable. Up until she shut the door behind them, he would have agreed a hundred percent with Soonyoung, but at the last minute, Taylor had broken down in tears. Either by anger or hurt he couldn’t be sure, but it was still a show of raw emotions. He could only hope that she’ll soon pick herself up and move on.

Soonyoung dropped him off at his house around nine after they grabbed a slice of pizza. Minghao was still working in the barn when Junhui walked up the driveway. The lights on the top floor were on, and he could see his brother’s shadow briefly moving, then standing still. Inside the house, Hyejin sat in the living room, flipping through the tv channels.

“Hi, honey,” she said with a smile.

“Hi, Mom.” He put away his water, then came to sit down.

Settling on the Travel Channel, she turned her attention on him. “How’d the recruiting go?”

“Good, for the most part,” he answered, putting his head her shoulder. “We’ve got some Talent contestants, but not so much Auction ones.”

“Aw,” she tried to sympathize. “I’m sure more will turn up.”

“I’m just glad I don’t have to be on stage for any of the events.”

She laughed at that. “You could sing. Or play piano again.”

He scrunched up his face. “I don’t really want to be bombarded with tomatoes, so no thanks.”

“Oh, come on. As if we’d let that happen.”

Despite it just playful conversation, it felt nice, and he smiled.

It was a quiet evening, nothing more exciting than watching people explore exotic places on the television. He enjoyed these boring evenings, with no human-demon hybrid breathing down his neck, no fires, no drama. A perfectly good and boring summer night. Just the way he liked it.

 

 

Throughout the next couple days, Diamond Creek buzzed with the pre-festival jitters. Large trucks blocked the streets everyday, transporting the stage pieces, booths, tents, seats, and whatever else needed to be moved onto location. All three hardware and lumber supply places were kept busy, their parking lots reduced significantly by the trailers.

Briefly, Junhui had tagged along with the event committee and gone to visit the large field where the festival would be set up. Although he wasn’t quite sure why his friends insisted on having him be present, when all he did was gawk and take pictures, since he had no authority. Still, he had fun watching them discuss and plan things out.

They put to practice their little map of the festival, staking out plots of land and marking them for the different booths and tents. They wanted to ensure that everything was spread out and convenient for the visitors, avoiding cases like having the drinks across the lot from the rest of the food court.

While they mapped the field, technicians began to mount the stages, the sound of drills and hammers punctuating the stuffy air. Junhui’s time there seemed useless, but his friends all thought that it was essential to have him present for the process. He gave minor inputs, helping the staff set out the tents. Small things, but in the end, even if he didn’t think he did much, as long as someone benefitted from his help, it was worth it.

Of course, going along helping the committee also meant that he didn’t have much free time left. The bag of cat treats he’d bought still sat at home, albeit opened. He never knew cat food could weigh that much. At any rate, he’d poured out some into a one gallon ziptop bag and stuffed that into his backpack. He hoped that at some point, he’d get the chance to slip away and go visit Jelly and her kittens.

At _Angel Wings_ today, the crowd didn’t flood in as thickly as it did on the previous week, when people were all in a frenzy for their barbecues. The store had a moderate flow, so Mrs. Yoon didn’t call in Jeonghan for the extra pair of hands.

Obviously, seeing as the fire at the Jeon House was still considered a current event—it’d only been four days since—Mrs. Yoon and her crew had been discussing it all morning. Junhui had just gone to put the broom away when Kang Sujin walked in.

“Good morning!” they greeted each other.

Junhui went to restock the fruit cans on the shelves, trying unsuccessfully to tune them out. He seriously needed to remember to bring earphones with him. He should note it down somewhere.

“The store feels so good,” Mrs. Kang sighed contentedly. “I’ve had to sit in traffic for the last twenty minutes. Just a minute more, and I’d have turned into dried fish!” the women laughed, and Junhui rolled his eyes. She drove around in a new Mercedes; he was sure it came with a functional air conditioning unit.

“Well,” Mrs. Yoon’ ego got a boost from the compliment, however tiny. “I do try to make it the _best_ shopping experience for my _best_ customers.”

Kang Sujin laughed again, then sobered up as if suddenly remembering something important. “On my way here, I saw Tyler Smith and his friends by the side of the road, picking litter. How humiliating.”

Must be the kids who almost burned down the house, Junhui thought. Sure, he felt bad for them having to stand in the sun, but it was better than jail time for potentially destroying private property and starting a wildfire.

“Oh, I know,” Mrs. Yoon agreed with a grave voice. “I cannot understand how such well-behaved children can just... act out!” _It’s called being teenagers_ , he thought wryly. There was a reason why some psychological symptoms sounded like teenage behaviors.

“And for them to get so close to that house! Oh, my...”

Shaking his head slowly, Junhui pushed the new cans toward the back of the shelf, then checked the dates of the current ones to make sure they were still edible.

“It’s got to be the Jeon curse,” Mrs. Yoon concluded. _Oh, geez_. “Fortunately, the police and fire department were called on time, before that Jeon boy could shoot at them or something.”

It was during these moments that Junhui wondered if they even heard what was coming out of their mouths. Sure, it was lucky Wonwoo hadn’t caught the delinquents (Junhui didn’t even want to think about what he might have done), but did the Gossip Brigade not realize the very likely chance of the whole hill burning down? Then everyone having to evacuate? Apparently not.

“Do you think our festival is in any danger?” Kang Sujin asked, slightly uneasy. “What if he turns crazy like Mikyung and murders everyone? It’ll be a large crowd.”

_Oh, my god._

Kang Sujin really was something, wasn’t she?

“That is a great concern,” Mrs. Yoon agreed in a somber tone. “I should talk to the Mayor to get more security at the gates and throughout the festival.”

_Have fun with that_. As Junhui got up to get another box, he idly wondered why his inner voice was so sarcastic today. Probably from hanging out with Seungkwan and Chan so much lately.

Mrs. Kang left the counter then, to go do some actual shopping. As she approached his aisle, he stepped out, not having seen her. Not having seen him either, she jumped about a foot in the air, a squawk escaping her lips.

“Oh, Junhui,” she breathed, a hand over her chest. She tried to smile it off, her cheeks flushed from fright and embarrassment. “Excuse me.” She hitched her purse higher on her shoulder and disappeared down the body lotions and shampoo aisle. He tried not to laugh at the ridiculous sound of her shock, covering his mouth with a hand.

He went to grab another box, then cut it open to resume the work. About halfway through the box, he heard what sounded like wheels rolling in. Shifting out of the aisle, he examined the front of the store, where two children had entered. The wheels belonged to their red wagon, carrying flower pots and bouquets. The boy appeared to be around seven or eight, and his sister, Junhui assumed, was about ten. They looked around the shop anxiously, waiting for Mrs. Yoon to finish ringing up a customer.

Once the person left, the kids took careful steps toward the counter, where Mrs. Yoon gazed down, eyeing them with no small amount of disdain. “Can I help you?” she asked.

The little boy shrank back a little, then pushed on. “Hello, Mrs. Yoon,” he began politely. “We’re doing a fundraiser for the _Nature and Discovery_ _Club_ , would you like to make a donation?”

Junhui smiled softly, impressed by the show of courage.

Mrs. Yoon was not, unfortunately.

“Oh, really. Where will the money go to?” she wanted to know, as if they would cheat her.

The boy nervously glanced back at his sister, who spoke up, her voice shaking a little less. “We’ll use the money to pay for a trip to the aquarium and museum in Flower Grove.”

Still eyeing them suspiciously, she pointed to the flowers in their cart. “And you’re selling those?” They nodded. “How much?”

“The small ones are $7 each, and the large pots are $10,” the boy said. “The bouquets are $8.”

“Ha!” She startled them. “See over there?” Pointing toward the back of the store, she indicated the fridge where the store kept fresh flowers. “I sell my bouquets for $6, why should I buy yours for that much?”

Junhui’s smile fell, feeling so sorry for them. Why did she have to harass them like this? If she didn’t want to buy any, then let the kids go sell them to someone who would be willing to make donations.

“Tell you what,” she told them after a moment. Junhui wanted to scream at them to run away. “I’ll buy two of the little pots for $10.”

“But we can’t do that.”

“Then I’m not buying anything,” she concluded, turning her attention to a woman checking out. The kids glanced at each other, not sure what to do.

After the woman paid, she crouched down to take a look at their little wagon. “Well, aren’t these just adorable!” she smiled, beginning to pick a few pots up to examine the flowers and buds. Their grins returned, so grateful to the woman. The boy began to tell her of the price, but Mrs. Yoon cut in.

“Oh, no, mister! Don’t you think you can just come in here and steal my customers.” Even the woman glared back at her in a ‘what are you talking about?’ manner. Mrs. Yoon just shrugged, going back to her line of customers, telling the kids, “Think about what I said. By the time I’m done with everybody, either you sell them to me at the price that I want, or you can go some place else.”

The gratitude they felt for the woman who bought one large pot from them (at the right price) soon evaporated as what Mrs. Yoon said registered. Again, they glanced at each other, uncertainty apparent. How can such a person exist? Bullying children when she had a granddaughter herself. Shaking his head, he stood up, unable to bear seeing any more of this shameful scene.

Turning around, he squeaked upon seeing the person standing there, jumping back and almost knocking over the display of pie fillings. “God, you scared me,” he breathed out.

Wonwoo watched him evenly, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Don’t I always?”

Ignoring the comment, Junhui cleared his throat and fixed his apron. “What are you doing here anyway?”

He shrugged. “Should I not be?”

“I didn’t say that.” But even then, Junhui risked a glance toward the front. Mrs. Yoon was thankfully busy chatting with her customers and not paying attention to his little corner. To be safe, though, he still moved toward the back of the store.

Junhui knew she didn’t like Wonwoo, but he didn’t want to find out what their confrontation would look like. Unlike with Frank Hirshi, he feared she might say something really offensive and actually anger Wonwoo. Mrs. Yoon had a terrible personality, but Junhui didn’t want her to get killed.

Redirecting his attention to his companion, he asked, “Did you need something?” He kept his voice low to avoid unwanted attention.

“I’m waiting for my plywood,” Wonwoo replied. “But from the looks of things, it’ll be a while.” He must have been talking about the festival prep teams monopolizing the town’s stores.

Junhui nodded. “Everything’s pretty busy.”

Picking up a can of peaches, Wonwoo examined it with disinterest as he commented, “Since I’ve never been in here, I thought I’d check it out.”

“Oh.” Junhui bent down to pick up the empty cardboard boxes, using the small cutter to detach the bottom flaps and flattening them out. “Well, there’s nothing much of interest. It’s just a store.”

When Junhui caught him staring at his fingers holding the cutter, Wonwoo asked, “Do people know about... your condition?”

A cold chill spread down his spine, and he automatically looked over his shoulders. He shook his head. “No, just my family and Kwon Soonyoung,” Junhui answered in a low voice. “And I’d really appreciate it if it stayed that way.”

“Sure,” Wonwoo replied easily. “Babbling won’t benefit me anyway.”

“Thank you.”

The anxiety was slowly building, so Junhui decided he better get himself busy before Wonwoo spooked him again. Moving past him, Junhui dropped the boxes in the corner where the store kept them. “Feel free to look around and buy stuff.”

As he turned to go, Wonwoo asked, “Do you sell cat food?”

“For Jelly?” he asked. Wonwoo stared back at him like he was an idiot. Junhui hit himself mentally. _No, duh! Who else would it be for?_ “I mean, yeah, but I actually bought some the other day. I was gonna drop by to see how they were doing. Let me go grab it.”

As he got back to the front of the store, Mrs. Yoon only had one more person to ring up. The kids were still standing there, hoping that the passerby would buy something. Junhui patted his pocket, coming up with some one dollar bills. As luck would have it, Mrs. Yoon had to go into the back room to fetch another item for the current customer. Junhui took his chance and approached the children.

Kneeling down, he was about eye level with the boy. “Hi, buddy. What’s your name?” he asked softly.

He glanced back at his sister, who smiled and nodded. “Saehyun,” he told him.

Grinning, Junhui said, “Hi, Saehyun. Hi...” He looked at her.

“Saejin.”

“Hi, Saejin. Now listen,” Junhui moved his gaze back to him. “Here’s $4. When Mrs. Yoon comes back, sell her the two flower pots for $10. How much would that make?” he asked gently.

Saehyun’s small eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated. “Fourteen?”

Nodding, Junhui smiled. “Good. Now how much would 2 small pots cost?”

“So two pots at $7 each, “ Saejin helped.

A wide grin spread across his face; he was beaming as understanding dawned on him. “Fourteen!”

Folding the bills in four, Junhui handed them to him, and brushed the hair out of his eyes. “Just keep it our little secret, okay?” Saehyun nodded. He reached out and hugged Junhui around the neck. He smelled like cookies and sugar.

“Thank you,” he said.

“You’re welcome.” Mrs. Yoon came back then, and Junhui pushed him forward lightly. “Go ahead!” Then he backed away before she could suspect anything had happened. He rounded the counter, hiding behind the door of the back room to watch.

“So, what shall it be?” she asked them, leaning over the counter again.

“Okay, two for $10!” Saehyun spoke with more confidence now.

Satisfied, she exclaimed, “Good! I knew I could get it cheaper. To think I could have been fooled and paid more. It’s probably worth less than that, but I’m not going to fight over a few dollars.” Junhui rolled his eyes. She picked out two rose pots, then handed him a ten dollar bill. “I should give them some water,” she mused, checking the soil. “You couldn’t even keep the soil moist.”

She left toward the floral refrigerators, and Junhui heard the faucet running a moment later. Saehyun and Saejin said their goodbyes, then headed out. Watching them go, it warmed his heart.

When he caught Wonwoo’s gaze, though, his mood dropped. As if with him seeing Junhui do what he did made the situation awkward. It was mostly due to his apparent repulsion at any kindness shown. Junhui fled to the back room and grabbed the cat foodto escape his stare. When Junhui returned, Wonwoo was standing by the counter, Mrs. Yoon still absent.

“Here,” Junhui pushed the ziptop bag forward. “I’ll bring the rest up as soon as I can.”

“Sure,” he said indifferently, not bringing up the incident at all like Junhui thought he would. Junhui expected him to give him another dark warning like the night he spent at the Wen’s house.

Instead, Wonwoo just nodded a farewell and left.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

The heat had somewhat cooled off. Sitting in his truck parked in the shades, Wonwoo waited for more wood to be delivered. Diamond Creek was so small that major events like this summer festival created a shortage of materials. If he had all the wood and plaster needed, that hole in the kitchen wall would have at least been fixed, if not sanded and painted over by now. As it were, though, he had to wait for the shipment to be delivered to the different stores, then pick up a few things at a time. It was frustrating and annoying. He should have just driven to a different town.

This morning, while the plywood was getting loaded off for customer purchases, Wonwoo heard the busybodies discussing the fire and how horrible of an influence he had on the youth of Diamond Creek. As if these little _angels_ had not a single bad bone in their entire bodies. He had to snort.

Out of a perverse impulse, he decided to go into the mercantile shop just so see what their reactions might be if he suddenly showed up. It’d certain kill time, and most likely bring great amusement. As he got closer to the store, though, the pulse he was able to associate with the proximity of the Stone got slightly stronger.

When he first drove into town two weeks ago, the pulse he had sensed felt almost too intense to withstand; his entire body thrummed with the energy. It took some time, he eventually managed to control the flow of energy running through his cells. That was the first indicator that the information was correct: the Healing Stone was hidden somewhere in this town. He had to find it.

The ability to sense such power was the main reason the Elders appointed him to the mission. Usually, locating a magical relic came easy for him. Like a wolf zeroing in on a particular scent and following the tracks. But this time was different. The energy of the Stone didn’t focus onto a single point; it diffused all around like a cloud or fog, with no spots shining brighter than others. At times, the air frizzled like static electricity before a storm, then as quickly as it came, it dissolved. Wonwoo couldn’t pick up a trail, couldn’t use it as a string to follow and pull himself to the source.

Nevertheless, as intangible as the energy was, he came to conclude that having Wen Junhui nearby threw him off. It was like placing a magnet next to a compass. Every time the boy was around, Wonwoo’s ability would go haywire, and he had no idea why. Maybe whatever made Junhui’s blood crystalize, or maybe it was just the boy himself. Whatever the reason may be, Wonwoo neither had the patience nor the desire to know why. To get this mission finished successfully, he just knew that Junhui best not be anywhere close by. Incredible how one person can be so much trouble.

_Angel Wings_ ’ in front of him, Wonwoo scanned the surrounding. If the Stone was around here, he had to focus that fog of energy into an actual point. Just when he thought he had grasped it, the conversation inside the store broke his concentration. The fog melted away. Cursing under his breath, he pushed open the door and stepped into the air conditioned store.

Some commotion went on by the front desk between the store owner and two kids. He moved down the aisle, avoiding the crowd. It didn’t take him long before Wonwoo noticed him. Maybe it wasn’t the conversation that disturbed him. It was the boy.

Junhui was on his knees, stacking cans onto the shelves. Wonwoo had to admit, he was a little surprised to see him working for a woman like Yoon Gyeongja. Shouldn’t the woman’s petty comments and criticism go against everything that Wen Junhui stood for? Wonwoo wondered, then pushed it aside, deciding that he didn’t care enough. Yet before he even realized it, he’d walked up and stood behind him.

Junhui got to his feet and turned around, right before leaping back with a yelp, his eyes round. The sight was quite amusing, Wonwoo had to admit. Enough to lighten his mood slightly. As Junhui tried to talk to get his breathing back to normal, Wonwoo noticed the boy’s heart beating erratically under his shirt. Very amusing, indeed.

When Junhui asked him what he was doing here, Wonwoo could hardly tell him of his illogical whim to witness the store owner’s reaction in actually seeing the infamous Jeon heir in the flesh. Neither could he divulge his search for the Stone, so he had to make up some feeble reason, one Junhui would be so distracted by he won’t notice the lie. Food for the cats.

“I actually bought some the other day.”

Of course. Wonwoo should have seen it coming. He refrained from rolling his eyes.

His mood didn’t turn sour until he saw Junhui play hero again. It was like Junhui couldn’t stop himself from coming to the kids’ rescue, which wasn’t even the worst part. The worst part was him thinking he was helping them. In actuality, he did was setting them up for failure by offering them a crutch that the rest of the world didn’t allow. He should have let the to fend for themselves, build up tougher skin, grow stronger against their oppressor.

Wonwoo didn’t want to waste his time arguing with Junhui. With nothing else to say, Wonwoo just grabbed the cat food from him and went out.

Checking his watch now, Wonwoo got out of the car to go fetch his damn wood. By the time he dropped the boards in the back of the truck and secured the ropes, he noticed Junhui across the street, probably done with his shift.

Despite his height, he looked so small, almost fragile-like. Withdrawn, walking with his arms around himself, shoulders tense. The only times he relaxed were when a friendly face smiled or greeted him, then as soon as the person crossed the street or passed by, his muscles would go taunt again. What was he so afraid of? Wonwoo wondered as Junhui turned around the corner.

All he could gather so far was that Diamond Creek did not exactly cherish Junhui as a citizen due to something that happened in his childhood. Whatever traumatic event took place had turned him into this shy, goodness-smothering boy.

_What happened to you, Wen Junhui?_

 

The truck stopped in front of the house, but Wonwoo didn’t step out right away. His eyes swept the woods, and he suddenly felt suffocated, trapped into these mundane activities. On the seat next to him sat the bag of cat food. What came over him, suddenly acting so human? Fixing up a house, rescuing stray cats, go into town to shop. _Ugh!_

Not able to stand the confines of his own body and the thoughts that circled endlessly around his head, he pushed open the car door and yanked the bag out with him. He had to do something to get rid of this frustration and anger, before he destroyed everything on sight. Half-running, he ripped the bag open, climbing down the steps into the basement. The cats looked up at him. Not waiting for them to react, he dropped the bag in front of them, the content spilling out.

He was outside so fast he could hardly believe it. Then he was running toward the woods, deeper and deeper among the trees. He had no direction, no plan except pushing through the thickening branches and away from the house, away from everything for a while. He needed to clear his head, get some fresh air. Refocus. He didn’t know where he was going, neither did he care where the turns and trails took him. For a couple hours, he freed the demon from the chains of society and his own human nature, no matter how little remained. Around him, he heard the woodland creatures scurry away as they felt his presence. He could have taken the time to hunt, but he wasn’t hungry, and he didn’t kill for no reason.

For a long time, he just let his body take him further into the forest, not thinking, just reacting to obstacles. And it felt good. The restlessness lessened a little, but not enough. He kept going.

Soon, he realized that the sun had set, and the night air settled down. Of course, he was still burning up from the run, but the baking heat of the daytime had made room for the cooler breeze.

Exhilarated, he stopped in the middle of a clearing. He could taste the sap and moist soil on his tongue as he breathed. Everything felt so still, like time itself had stopped, or at the very least, slowed down. Earlier, he’d hoped that going for a run might help ease the tension and relieve the anger he constantly felt lately, but it didn’t help much. His foot hit a rock as he moved, springing an idea.

Examining the trees surrounding him, he moved slightly, taking aim, then kicked the rock as hard as he could. He watched as it sailed through the air for a couple seconds, then slammed into the trunk of a huge pine tree. It didn’t go through as he had hoped, but there was plenty of rocks left. He picked one about the size of a basketball, bouncing it in his hand, then threw it. The ruckus of branches cracking as rocks pelted the tress almost droned out the crash as they fell. By the time he was out of rocks to throw, four trees of different sizes laid on a bed of their own broken branches.

“What a racket! Who’s out there?” A female voice echoed through the trees behind him.

He turned around, cautious, and stood in place. Her footsteps were getting closer, but he couldn’t see her yet.

“Who wants to know?” he asked, his voice level.

Out emerged an old woman with thin, wispy, silver-white hair flowing in the breeze. She wore a ragged nondescript dress. Despite her age, she moved with ease through the forest floor. “Nyosha,” she claimed, her eyes squinting at him as if to make the image clearer. “Jeon Taeseung, is that you?”

A jolt of surprise hit him. “No. Taeseung’s been dead for eighty years.”

Still studying him, she concluded with confidence, “I’m sorry to hear that, but you’re a Jeon as well.”

“Who are you?” She wasn’t human, that much he could sense.

“Ah,” she sighed in disappointment. “My name used to strike admiration and respect, but I suppose that’s what happens with time.” She shrugged nonchalantly, chuckling. “Come, come!” As if thinking he’d really follow her, she began to lead herself back the same way she had come from. He stayed where he was, still confused about her identity and the reason for her appearance in these woods.

Turning around, she made a disapproving sound. “Don’t you want to know more about your ancestry?” His face showed something that made her smile. “Come on, my boy!” Shaking his head in disbelief, he followed after her.

A witch.

Wonwoo realized it as soon as they stepped out of the woods and into a patch of land where plants and herbs grew all around the small shack she called her house. The chimney puffed out some orange smoke smelling of citrus and something sweet. The front yard also contained a large pot where she was brewing a green concoction. Walking ahead of him, she approached the pot and stirred it a little before calling over two imps to look after the rest of the cooking process. The creatures eyed him suspiciously as he walked by. He had to wonder how the humans hadn’t discovered this place yet, unless she used some protection spell to get past them. Which, considering, wouldn’t be too hard of a task.

The inside was as messy as the outside. Cages and dried plants hung overhead, causing him to hunch as soon as he stepped inside to avoid getting hit with one of them. The fire burned in the hearth, heating the potion that produced the orange smoke. In the corner of the shack, a very small goblin wearing red shoes sat in a chair, sewing socks. There was also a whole lot more junk laying around. Carefully avoiding every single item, he finally managed to take a seat at the witch’s wooden table.

She offered him tea, he assumed, but he declined, getting straight to the subject he wanted: Jeon Taeseung and Mikyung, and how she was connected to them. Instead of answering him right away, she studied him some more.

“So you must be their great-grandson,” she said, sipping at her cup.

He nodded. “How did you know them?”

“They came to me. I was the first and only person who would help them escape that horrible place.”

His anger flared as his eyes widened. “You’re the one who helped them betray us.” Doing his best to keep the growl out of his voice, he fisted his hands under the table. “What makes you think I’ll believe anything you tell me?”

Unperturbed by his barely concealed anger, she watched him over the rim of her teacup. “Whether you believe or not is your prerogative.” With a wry smile, he set the cup down. “But now I see what the Alcaeus Clan had decided to tell you, or rather _not_ tell you about them.”

Wonwoo didn’t like where this was going, only because it confirmed what he had been thinking about for the past few days: the Clan did hide things from him, important details. Still, he wanted to hold on to his sanity, to even the smallest possibility that it was some sort of fluke.

“No matter how you tell the story, they still selfishly abandoned the Clan.”

“They simply wanted to live together in peace, is that so bad?” she asked rhetorically.

He gritted his teeth. “What’s your connection to them?”

With a sigh, the witch answered, “They knew that sooner or later, the Clan would find them, so they asked me to create a spell to protect their child were they fortunate enough to carry one. The spell was in the form of a crystal. Once introduced to the child, it will dissolve in his or her blood, changing the physiology from then on.” The puzzle pieces were beginning to click, but he remained quiet as she went on. “It embodies purity and goodness, so that even if the Clan members were to capture the child, he or she will remain safe from harm.”

“How would that work when Taeseung was a demon himself?”

She smiled sadly. “He was willing to pay the price of staying away from his child in order to protect it from his own nature.” Wonwoo needed a minute to compose his thoughts. “I’m sure this changes just slightly the way you thought of them.”

His eyes glanced up. “Are you trying to persuade me that they were honest and good people? Because so far, he’s still a selfish man who turned his back on an entire Clan to find his own happiness, not giving a damn about the people who were there for him his entire life. Not caring about the repercussions that would follow his decisions.”

She sighed, shaking her head like Wonwoo was a stubborn child. “Can’t you see the cracks and lies yet?” she asked. “Were you not the one who questioned the Clan’s explanation for why your blood acts the way it does? Why you’re different.”

He stared back at her. “How do you know that?”

Ignoring his question, she added, “A piece of that crystal remains in you, Wonwoo, passed down through generations.” His mind was still reeling from the whole meeting that he didn’t even notice her using his name.

Denial was strong, forcing his brain to think up of contradictions with her story. “That doesn’t explain how Junhui’s blood...” He blinked, something clicked. “Are you saying Junhui has a piece of the same crystal in him?” Could this be the reason why Diamond Creek treated him that way? Because they knew Junhui was different and somehow related to the Jeon name? But how could that be viable when Junhui hadn’t even been aware of the connection?

The witch nodded to his first question.

“How?”

With a sure hand, she pressed her palm against his forehead like she was checking his temperature. A surge of power traveled through his body for a second, then disappeared when she pulled her hand away.

“I’m not sure, but the whole crystal isn’t in you. I had advised Taeseung and Mikyung to not introduce the whole solid into their baby at once, I suppose they did not use it all. Somehow, Junhui must have gotten hold of that piece.”

This was all too much at once. Wonwoo sat there, mute, letting it all sink in. Everything was spinning out of his control. But was he ever truly in control?

“If that crystal represented all the goodness of the world,” his voice dripped skepticism, “why am I like this?”

“Magic can only do so much before biology and the environment take over. You were raised to be more demon than anything else, but the fact that you’re less impulsive and violent than they are might be due to the crystal.”

“Or the human blood,” he muttered, irked.

Nyosha watched him, studying his reaction and mood. After a minute, she sat back and asked, “Are you blaming little Junhui for what’s happening to you?”

“Everything was fine until he got in the picture. Or I guess, until his blood got mixed in.” His fingers fidgeted with a twig on the table, then flung it into the fire. The flames glowed blue for a second, making the goblin glance up briefly.

“It’s not Junhui you’re angry with, nor is he the one you hate so much,” the witch said.

Incredulous, Wonwoo glared back at her. She remained unfazed. “Really, please enlighten me,” he invited with obvious sarcasm.

“That anger and hate is going on within you: the beast battling with the crystal for ownership of your soul.”

“Why now?” he wanted to know, stopping himself from telling her he had no soul. If what she said was true, shouldn’t he have been angry and hateful his entire life?

“Because the piece in Junhui is awakening the piece in you. You’ve lived with demons for so long, the stone in you had practically been dormant. The power of the crystal is awakening, causing all this frustration and confusion within you, especially when Junhui’s close by. This is why, however angry you were at seeing his altruistic nature, you couldn’t do anything to him.

“A month ago, you wouldn’t have hesitated, would you? Your demonic root understands this, and it’s looking to destroy that source of goodness. But it can’t, so instead, you take it out on my trees.” She looked heavenward as if the universe would explain it all. Wonwoo wished it did because although he had gotten most of the answers he wanted, his mind was a scrambled mess.

“Why are you telling me all this?” He sighed. He’d wanted to know more about Taeseung and Mikyung, but he got more out of that deal. Now he had his own past rewritten and that much more to come to terms with.

“Because you deserve the truth,” she replied. “And they deserve justice.” Taking his hand in her small and wrinkly ones, she said solemnly, “You have the power and means to shape the fate of many, Wonwoo. Do not take that task lightly.”

 

As he went back to the Jeon House that night, her cryptic words still lingered in his mind. He reflected that there was some truth to her explanation for his current state of unease and restlessness. When he had first met Junhui, he only held casual indifference toward the boy as he did toward everyone else. But the more time he spent with him, the more Junhui confused and angered him. All the more because there was nothing he could do about it. How could he fight something that was apparently part of his own body? Not only was Junhui a problem, so was this piece of crystal in him. Moreover, what did the witch mean when she said he had the power to shape the fate of many? Whose fates? He could barely control his own, let alone others.

Now he wasn’t sure what he was feeling. He was numb, mentally exhausted. Why would the Elders lie about the piece of crystal in him? Could they not have known about it? But after the murders, they took the baby away, shouldn’t there been some difficulty in doing so, seeing as it had been what Taeseung expected? Unless...

Unless there was another Black Sheep in the Clan back then that projected nothing but sunshine and rainbows, who could raise the child following the Alcaeus’ rules and values without the crystal causing any problems. Minsoo had to know.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO YEAH! That's how WonHui are connected. Did it live up to the hype? hahahaha. i know, i know, it's still not fully explained, but hey, at least it's something, right?
> 
> If you have questions about the actual Crystal, please hold on to them! As of right now, even though Wonu got told all this information, he is still very much confused about the entire thing (as he should!), so he'll be doing some more investigation work, and hopefully by then, you guys and wonhui will discover the truth together! yay for interactive stories jk lol.
> 
> With that said, though, if you do have questions, feel free to ask me! I'll try to explain things without spoiling the upcoming chapters. 
> 
> Next week, we'll delve into Junnie's past a bit. Woot woot! Thank you for reading ^_^
> 
> See you soon!  
> xoxoxo


	11. Birds of a Feather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SoonHui go on an ice cream date with DK, and WonHui spend a rather productive afternoon together.

 

 

 

Today, Junhui had hoped for another quiet day inside where he could hide from the heat and play games on his phone, while snacking on plum candies. That plan had, however, been scratched from existence thanks to Soonyoung. 

Following up on his (obvious to everyone but himself) pursuit of Seokmin, he had enlisted Junhui as prop and accomplice. The coffee date Soonyoung had tricked the young deputy into going to had, unfortunately, so far been the only one. To not make himself seem desperate, Soonyoung had suggested an ice cream outing, with Junhui in tow. He reasoned that the extra person would bar any semblance of a date, but it’d still give Seokmin the chance to see Soonyoung in a date-like situation and setting, which would hopefully give the young deputy a hint to ask him out.

Usually, Junhui would say no because his friend’s schemes never went according to plan, and Junhui would rather save them both from humiliation if possible. But Soonyoung was his best friend, and they’d been through so much in the past that Junhui toughed it out. Besides, ice cream was pretty good incentive.

Since Soonyoung had planned to seduce Seokmin into a real date after ice cream, the pair used Junhui’s car. That way he wouldn’t be left stranded, and Soonyoung had a legitimate reason to ask for a ride from Seokmin. At times like these, Soonyoung’s scheming mind scared him, prompting him to wonder how the younger even thought up of stuff like that, much less acting them out. Anyway, since it was Sunday and Hyejin didn’t work, Junhui took the car and drove to Soonyoung’s house. The date was supposed to be at three o’clock, but knowing Soonyoung, he was probably already in a panic, and it was hardly past noon.

Chan answered the door let him in.

“Hi, Jun! Hoshi’s upstairs.”

From the way he rushed back into the living room as soon as the lock clicked open should’ve been a clue.

“Um, hey, Channie.”

When Junhui pushed open the door and closed it behind him, he heard yelling and grunting, followed by what sounded like swords hitting each other. Walking toward the stairs, he looked into the living room and let out a chuckle.

Chan had invited Hansol over, and they were sitting on the couch in front of the tv, game controllers in hand, shouting at the screen as their characters fought zombies. Seeing how loud they turned the volume, Junhui found it fortunate Chan even heard the doorbell to let him in. A bigger miracle that he stopped to open the door.

“‘Sup, Jun! Wait wait wait! Arhg!”

Giggling, Junhui watched them play for a few seconds. “Hi, Hansol.”

Upstairs, Soonyoung’s door was left open, and he poked his head in. Only to dodge a denim jacket thrown haphazardly out from the closet. “Whoa!”

“Gah! Why can’t I find any of my clothes?” Soonyoung screamed in exasperation when his friend picked up the jacket and stepped into the room.

“Uh… maybe because everything is on the floor and your bed?” He draped the jacket on the back of the desk chair and pushed aside the lump of clothes to sit at the edge of the mattress.

A little sheepish, Soonyoung laughed and sat on the rug. “I thought it’d be easier if I spread everything out.”

“Hm.” Junhui nodded slowly, looking at the mess. “So…”

Soonyoung groaned and face-planted onto a pile of t-shirts. “I don’t know what to wear!”

“I thought this was supposed to be somewhat casual,” Junhui said, distractingly examining the items and folding them as best as he could while Soonyoung continued to thrash around.

“It is,” the latter insisted, shifting his head to the side so he could breathe. “But I still want to look cute.”

“You always look cute, though?” Junhui was confused.

“Not like cute-cute. _Hot-_ cute.”

Arching a brow, he leaned back and rested his head on another lump of apparel. Hopefully it wasn’t Soonyoung’s dirty laundry. “Then how about wearing something with the same feel as one of our performance outfits?”

“Too flashy.” With another groan, Soonyoung fell back on the floor, arms and legs spread out like a starfish. “Can we like, go shopping?”

Junhui snorted, poking him with his toes. “Hoshi, stop overthinking it. We’ve known each other since elementary school.”

He sighed.“I don’t know why I’m so nervous about this date, Jun,” he cried, plopping himself on his bed before diving head-first into the stack of shorts. “What if he thinks I’m only interested in him as a friend after today? Or what if he thinks it’s just a friend thing, and so he brings another person with him? I’m gonna feel like a fool!”

“Well, _you’re_ bringing another guy with you, so I’m sure he might, too.” Junhui was kidding, of course, but Soonyoung didn’t think it was funny.

“But my plan was supposed to be fool-proof!” he exclaimed, bottom lip wobbling.

Giggling, Junhui poked his cheeks until they both laughed. “Cheer up, Hoshi. Everything’s gonna work out.”

“But what’s if—”

“What if nothing. Seokmin likes you, too, dummy.”

“Do you think so?” Soonyoung sat up, eyes sparkling anew and grin wide.

Junhui laughed. “I do. Besides, you haven’t been all that subtle to begin with. He probably found out about you stalking him every day. Hey!” He dodged the pillow Soonyoung tried to throw at him.

“Not funny!” he tried to mope, but failed. His laughter was infectious. “Fine,” he relented on his own, laying on his back now. “You pick out something for me then. My ever have been staring at these clothes long enough, I can’t tell tops from bottoms anymore.” Mischievously, he snickered as he glanced at him. “I know which one you are, though.”

Sputtering, Junhui hit him with a pillow, but that only made his friend cackle louder. “Shut up! Are you gonna get dressed or not?”

“Ah… Moon Junnie. You’re so cute.” Rolling away, he jumped up and stretched. “Okay, let’s goooooo!”

Unable to stop the amusement, Junhui laughed, too.

He was by no means a fashionista; that would be more Minghao and Mingyu’s department, but at the very least, Junhui could pick out a casual outfit without resorting to spill his whole closet on the floor. After a few minutes, Soonyoung was dressed, and while he did his hair, Junhui occupied himself with folding clothes.

Eventually, the pair left for the ice cream parlor. Junhui figured they better get there early so Soonyoung could get a chance to get his wits back. They chose a table outside by the decorative flower fence and under a large umbrella. Being on the corner of the block, the air wasn’t as stuffy thanks to the constant breeze.

Junhui was entertaining himself using the straw to poke at the ice cubes in his glass of water, and Soonyoung reached for his bag when he noticed, “What happened to your leg?”

“Oh.” Reflexively, he tucked the newly bandaged shin away. “Nothing too bad, I just picked the scab this morning.” Despite being aware of the dangers of his own condition, Junhui hadn’t been able to fight the ridiculous urge to pick at a scab. Obviously, it started to bleed again. _Idiot_.

“When did you even hurt it?” Soonyoung asked, concerned plain on his face.

“Uh...” Junhui sipped at his water, shoulders drawn. He mumbled, “In the kitchen of the Jeon House last week.”

“Yikes. Good thing he wasn’t around.” When Junhui didn’t confirm it right away, Soonyoung stared at him with widened eyes, “ _Was_ he around when it happened?”

“Yeah... But!” Junhui said quickly. “He didn’t freak out or anything. He actually helped me take care of the cut.”

Soonyoung arched an eyebrow, dubious. “He didn’t even react the least bit worried that crystal spikes actually sprout from your blood?” He made sure to lower his voice, but his frantic arms movements were enough to hint at his agitation.

Junhui shook his head. “No, he was… very calm.” _And caring_.

“I mean, I love you and all, but the first time I saw you bleed—”

“I know, you fainted,” he finished for him, then shrugged. “He’s been a good sport about it.”

“A good sport,” the other repeated. “Are you hiding something from me?”

“What?” His voice sounded shrill, and he cleared his throat.

Soonyoung narrowed his eyes, gears turning in his head. “I don’t know, you just seem—”

“Hey, guys!” They stopped their conversation and turned toward the voice. Smiling, Seokmin made his way through the tables set out on the sidewalk to join them. Not on duty, he was wearing dark gray cargo shorts and a university t-shirt. And he was alone. If Junhui weren’t so relieved for the distraction away from him and Wonwoo, he’d have gloated a little at being right.

“Hey,” the pair both said. While Junhui remained perfectly fine, Soonyoung definitely looked flushed. He’ll probably end up blaming the heat.

Seokmin took a seat. “How’s it going?”

“Good, nothing significant to report,” Junhui smiled, and he chuckled, turning his attention to Soonyoung. He looked pretty interested, if Junhui did say so himself.

“You know, even though we live right next to each other, I almost never see you anymore,” he noted.

“Yeah,” Soonyoung agreed, gaining back his composure. “You’re so busy chasing bad guys, while I’m trying to find people to sell for dates.”

Seokmin laughed, which made Soonyoung smile proudly. “If I didn’t know better, that last part could land you in serious trouble.”

“Uh-oh,” Soonyoung feigned a worried look. “In that case, I deny everything.” They all laughed.

The waiter approached them then, and they ordered more ice cream than was healthy for anyone to consume in one sitting. But it was one of those summer things that you did without thinking simply because it _was_ summer.

“Is the current situation with the auction really that bad,” Seokmin asked as he took a spoonful of his chocolate chip and mint scoops, “or are you just kidding?”

“Half,” Soonyoung answered, biting into the wafer. “Not counting the kids and me, there are only four others, including a girl who volunteered herself _and_ her boyfriend.” When Seokmin and Junhui stared at him in mid bite, he explained further, “She thinks that since their relationship is starting to get shaky, dating another person in a ‘safe environment’ might save their current romance.”

“That’s... one way to solve problems, I guess,” Seokmin said slowly. “Personally, I prefer talking it out instead of shoving it under the rug, but that might just be me.”

While he was busy getting another bite, Soonyoung gave Junhui a quick and excited grin, moving his gaze toward him.

Trying not to laugh, Junhui decided to bring the conversation back on general topics. “So seven participants isn’t that bad. I was afraid there was no one else aside from you guys and the two other girls.”

“Yeah, but it’s not ideal, either,” Soonyoung said. “And Seungkwan now wants to add a beauty pageant, open to all ages! Goodness. Sometimes, I think the kid is just too much. Not everyone can be the King of Variety.”

“Wow,” Seokmin chuckled. “It’s fortunate we’re adding extra security. Something like that might start a riot.”

“Why would the festival need extra security?” Soonyoung asked, but Junhui already knew. Guess Mrs. Yoon and the other ladies got through to the Mayor.

“People are kind of worried of a repeat of the firework and gasoline incident,” he said.

“That’s all?” Junhui asked.

When he met Seokmin’s gaze evenly, the latter reluctantly added, “And because some are afraid of Jeon Wonwoo.”

From the corner of his eye, Junhui saw Soonyoung glance at him, reminded of their conversation before Seokmin had showed up. “What does the Sheriff’s office think of him?”

“Mixed reviews,” he shrugged. “I’m a fair guy. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and so far he hasn’t done anything for me to change my mind. Besides,” he addressed Junhui, “you spend more time than anyone else alone with him in that house. If he were dangerous, you wouldn’t be sitting here.”

“Right, guess not.” For the first time, Junhui realized that Seokmin looked at him in a peculiar way. The way a cop would study either a witness or a perpetrator to see if they told the truth. It was such a contrast to his friend’s usual sunny disposition, he actually felt afraid.

“Or he could’ve brainwashed you, and we would never know!” Seokmin joked, the friendly warmth returning. Junhui smiled, reassured, and Soonyoung chuckled. Just like that, the mood lifted, and the lightness came back.

About an hour later, though, it became clear that the date had gone from three friends hanging out, to Junhui regressing to the position of a third wheel. Throughout the afternoon, his friends had shifted their chairs closer to each other in increments, an inch at a time, it seemed, because he hadn’t noticed until they sat together on one side of the round table and left him on the other.

They talked and laughed about things that he was unfamiliar with, events that must have taken place while he was away at school. Not to say that they intentionally ignored him. In fact, they talked to him quite a lot. More often than not, they would try to pull him away from his phone and bring him back into the conversation, but seeing as he hardly knew the context of the situations they discussed, he soon retired to the fringe again. Junhui didn’t mind. After all, the pair got along swimmingly, and he got to finish playing his game from earlier.

Once he got to the end of the level, he decided to give his friends a few minutes alone. Plus, his bladder had been screaming at him to get a move on. So he excused himself and headed for the bathroom.

After he’d washed his hands and exited the men’s room, he found himself stuck behind a tower of racks on wheels. The way the parlor was built, the path from the bathroom to the front crossed the walkway between the kitchen and the giant freezer. Currently, the racks were getting loaded with new buckets of ice cream. The staff was halfway done, though. They only had a couple more racks to move, before they could move it away. When one of the employees saw him, he quickly apologized, attempting to scoot the racks to the side to let the customer through.

“It’s okay,” Junhui reassured him with a smile. “Take your time. I’m not in any rush.” As proof, he motioned to the painting lining the wall, proud to see his brother’s work hanging there. He didn’t even know Seungcheol commissioned new pieces.

He leaned over the closest frame, admiring the field of sunflowers. With delight, he spotted a golden retriever hidden between the stalks of bright flowers, wondering if it was a Mingyu easter egg. He giggled to himself, pulling his phone out to snap a picture of the dog.

He’d just pressed _send_ , when a shiver ran down his spine. A wave of ice that had nothing to do with the freezer being open.

“Junhui. Hi.”

Turning around, his heart jumped into his throat at the same his brain recognized the voice. The chill spread out through his body, and his fingertips suddenly felt icy as they gripped his phone.

“H-hi, Jaehyun,” he responded with caution, swallowing down the trembles.

Apparently, Jaehyun had just left one of the private rooms down the hall, and now they were stuck here behind this wall of ice cream. Talk about bad timing. If only Junhui had waited a minute longer to go, he wouldn’t be stuck here. For a brief moment, he contemplated hiding in the bathroom. But Jaehyun could follow him in there. At least out here, they had an audience, which would limit Jaehyun’s arsenal of insults and violence.

Still, Junhui did his best to not provoke him in any manner.

Evidently after high school, he hadn’t been nearly around Jaehyun to know much of his personal and social life, so he couldn’t be sure if Jaehyun only dressed the part or if he really was a frat boy. Standing closer to him today, Junhui noticed that his brown hair looked bleached from sun and water exposure, and his skin was tanner. He also smelled strongly of some spicy and musky body spray. He wrinkled his nose discretely. Apart from noticing the obvious, Junhui tried not to make eye contact, hoping it would calm his nerves and stop his stomach from rolling with unease.

Being around Jaehyun scared him differently than with Wonwoo. Wonwoo was the kind of fear you’d get if you suddenly found yourself stuck in the tiger’s or lion’s den at the zoo. If you didn’t do anything rash, he would leave you alone. At the worse, he’d tear you apart and eat you. The end.

With Jaehyun, it was like facing the bad guy in a movie, one that knew you personally. It was his malicious and vindictive nature that Junhui was scared of. Whereas Wonwoo might just kill him and be done with it, Jaehyun would make him suffer, but Junhui would live to feel every second of the torture, before allowed to die.

At times, he wondered if Jaehyun would have turned out to be such an evil psycho if his mother hadn’t passed away.

Breaking into his thoughts, Jaehyun commented, “I haven’t seen you around in a while,” and approached to stand next to him.

Gingerly, Junhui moved to the left. “Y-yeah. I’ve been keeping myself busy.”

“Ah, yes. So I hear,” he said, taking another step closer. Junhui shrank back in response, but there wasn’t much room left. If Jaehyun took another step, Junhui would be stuck. “Saint Jun blessing his community with his free time and benevolence,” the sarcasm dripped from his voice. “You and Jeon all alone in that big, beautiful house. You’re probably hanging out all the time now, even outside of work.”

“We don’t hang out,” Junhui denied, keeping his voice level. He hated how he felt like he needed to tell him any of this. However, your brain is not always rational when the adrenaline kicks in, shouting at you to run away. “I’m just helping him out with the renovation.”

Jaehyun shrugged, still watching the other intently. “I just assumed birds of a feather flock together is all.” He grinned, mocking. “Anyway, it’s too bad what happened to the house. I hope you two hadn’t worked or spent too much on the repairs so far.”

There was something in the way that he said that sentence, with a sense of satisfaction and spite that made Junhui ask with a gasp, “Did you have something to do with that fire?”

Now Jaehyun took the last step toward him, his chest brushing against his shoulder as he lowered his voice, “How do you think the kids got the idea to shoot their fireworks on Serenity Hill, away from prying eyes, the only casualty being that dreadful house?”

“They all could’ve been hurt!” Junhui said, appalled, the decoration along the wall digging into his back.

Shrugging, Jaehyun pushed his hands in his pockets. “Not my fault. I merely suggested a place for them to go. How was I supposed to know they would bring gasoline? I had no way of knowing Jeon would be home, either. Don’t most people celebrate the holiday with their family? It was lucky you called the police on time, though. A real town hero!” he sneered, clapping lifelessly.

“What... What has Wonwoo ever done wrong?” Junhui wanted to know. Jaehyun had no reason to dislike Wonwoo. Out of everyone in town, Junhui was the only one Jaehyun had targeted (until now), and as horrible as it were, at least he had a reason for his hatred.

Jaehyun fixed him with a cold stare now, his voice restrained, all semblance of pleasantries gone. “He set foot in Diamond Creek.”

Junhui stared back at him, eyes opened wide, shocked and confused. Before he had a chance to compose himself and ask him what that meant, the racks creaked as the two guys started to push it away, apologizing once again for the trouble. Junhui could barely nod at them, too bewildered by the guy next to him.

To conclude this little episode, Jaehyun finished with, “Let’s just hope that everything goes well at the summer fest.”

“Do you hate us to the point where you would be willing to risk other people’s lives?” he blurted out.

Jaehyun grinned, glancing forward then back to him. “Unlike you, Junhui, I don’t take advantage of the townspeople’s lives to thrive and better myself. How do you even sleep at night, knowing you killed two people?” The path finally cleared, he strode away.

For a second, Junhui just stood there, Jaehyun’s words echoing in his ears. His cheeks were burning; he could feel the heat under his skin, but he refused to crumble. Jaehyun was wrong. Junhui never meant for anyone to get hurt because of him, much less perish. He took in a shuddering lungful of air, hoping the prickling behind his eyes would abate, then walked out.

As Junhui got to the front counter, Soonyoung and Seokmin were making their way toward him, the former holding his bag.

“Hey,” Soonyoung said when he saw him. “We were starting to wonder where you had gone.”

“Are you all right?” Seokmin asked, noticing his sick expression.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Umm,” Junhui noted again that Soonyoung was carrying their bags. “Were you guys leaving?”

“The waiters were ready to throw us out,” Soonyoung explained. “So Seokmin went to pay, and I was starting to go look for you.”

“Oh, let me—” Junhui reached for his wallet to pay him back, but Soonyoung stopped him.

“Don’t worry about it, it’s just ice cream.” Then nudged him with a wink. “Plus, I promised, right?”

Junhui smiled. “Thanks.”

“So anyway,” Seokmin said as they headed for the door. “There’s a free outdoors concert in Aurora tonight. If we leave now we might be able to beat the crowd.”

“Come with us,” Soonyoung suggested, which surprised him, but then Junhui figured his friend could probably read his emotions like a book. Soonyoung was perhaps trying to determine what had caused his friend to deflate like a balloon in less than ten minutes.

It was nice of him, but Junhui didn’t want to ruin the evening, so he went with the plan they had set up. Besides, he wouldn’t be any fun if he did tag along. “Thanks, but I think the heat is getting to my head. I’m gonna go home.”

“Are you sure?” Seokmin asked. “If you feel ill maybe we should drive you back.”

Soonyoung tugged at his shirt. “I saw Jaehyun in there. Did something happen?”

Junhui’s eyes glanced briefly at Seokmin, then he shook his head. “No, we barely even spoke. Stop worrying about me,” he emphasized for his friend’s sake. “Go enjoy the concert, then tell me how _everything_ went,” he urged with a smile, and Soonyoung laughed.

“Just make sure you let me know you got home okay,” he made him promise, and Junhui nodded.

“Yes, sir.” Soonyoung laughed, swatting his arm playfully. Junhui turned to Seokmin, “Thanks for the ice cream. Have fun, and I guess get me a souvenir or something,” he added to make it sound like he really wanted to go to Aurora, too, but was impaired by a sudden case of migraine.

“Alright,” Seokmin grinned. “See you later, Jun.”

Soonyoung waved, then followed him down the row of vehicles to his blue car, while Junhui unlocked the Honda and climbed in. He sat there for a minute, waiting for the engine to warm up. At the end of the lot, he spotted the blue car pulling out into traffic. Right before they did, Soonyoung lowered the window to wave frantically at Junhui, prompting all of them to laugh.

When Junhui finally drove away, he did intend on going straight home and calling it a day, but by force of thinking about what Jaehyun said earlier, he ended up taking a left instead of a right turn, going toward the Clearing and the highway that linked their town with the one over.

This was a one-way road, easier to maneuver on a bike than in a car. There was too much traffic to make an illegal turn, so he continued down the road, hoping for a break in the flow soon. Otherwise, he mused, he’d just visit the Clearing for a few minutes. Approaching the tiny, almost hidden turn leading to the Clearing, he noticed something on the side of the road.

As the car got closer then moved past it, he realized that it was a broken-down truck and an annoyed Jeon Wonwoo. Junhui could have kept driving, and Wonwoo wouldn’t know that he was even there. Yet as Junhui reached the trail to the Clearing, he used it to make a U-turn.

Junhui stopped the car a few yards behind his. Wonwoo had the hood open and was currently bent over the engine so the younger couldn’t really see him. The back of the truck contained wooden planks and large plywood boards among buckets and a bunch of other stuff to fix the wall and the rest of the house. The hood slammed shut, making him jump. He looked over, seeing Wonwoo leaning on his palms staring at him through the cab of the truck.

Cautiously, Junhui moved closer. “Hey, I was driving by and...” Wonwoo was still staring at him evenly, so he cut to the chase. “What’s wrong with it?”

Taking a second, Wonwoo finally answered him. “The belt snapped.”

“Whoa. That’s... really bad. Is anything else damaged because of it?” He seemed surprised that Junhui even knew what he was talking about. True, Junhui didn’t know much about cars, but having a grease monkey for a brother, some things ought to slip into his ears.

“It’s not the end of the world,” Wonwoo said, “but enough to give this thing a good vacation,” he patted the hood.

“Did you call a tow yet?” he asked.

Wonwoo shook his head. “No, I just got done inspecting it.”

“Well, I can call Minghao and have him tow it back to his garage. Then if you wanna take it someplace else to get it fixed, you can.” Wonwoo blinked. Junhui was rambling; he knew, but he couldn’t stop. “Or you know, he can do it. I mean, he’s good at his job and it’s close,” Junhui mumbled, fidgeting with his fingers.

“Okay,” Wonwoo sighed, apparently indifferent.

“Okay,” he nodded, fishing his phone out. He dialed Minghao’s cellphone, but his brother didn’t pick up. Expecting him to have his hands full, he called the garage instead.

“Automobile Hospital, assistant-surgeon Kim Mingyu speaking. What is your car emergency?” Junhui giggled. That was the name Mingyu had wanted to call the garage, which Minghao and the others had vehemently rejected. It was just referred to as _The kids’ garage_ to differentiate from Old Man Perry’s, which did little more than oil changes. The man was nearing eighty this year, and still refused to retire.

“Gyu, it’s me, Jun,” he said quickly before the other launched into one of the specials.

“Oh, hey, Jelly Beans! What’s up?”

“Is Hao around?”

“Yeah, he’s currently operating on Mrs. Kaeppler’s Lincoln. Even though it’s hardly the job of the assistant surgeon,” he chuckled, “I can take a message.”

Junhui laughed. “No, it’s okay, I was just wondering. Anyway, I have a car situation. Is either Jackson or Tony available?”

“You need it towed, huh? What did you do, kid?” he laughed, already moving about to find either of their tow guys. “Did Jackson come back from break yet?” he asked someone. The person answered with something, then he replied, “Okay, tell him to get his keys pronto. Jelly Beans is in trouble.” Loud laughter erupted on the other line, and Junhui shook his head, trying not to laugh, too.

“It’s not my car, Gyu,” he said.

“Alright,” the mechanic relented, a grin still in his voice. “Gimme your location.” After Junhui gave it to him, he asked how long it would take, then they hung up.

He walked back to where Wonwoo was. With the car door open, the latter sat on the seat with his legs stretched out.

“They’ll be here in about ten minutes,” he told him.

He nodded. “Thanks.”

They stayed in silence for a good while, with a few cars driving by and kicking up dust. Then to give himself something to do, Junhui went to the back of the truck to poke around what Wonwoo bought.

“How far along are you?” he asked.

“Not nearly where I would like to be,” Wonwoo replied. “With that festival monopolizing all the hardware stores, I had to drive all the way down to Clemester for all that.”

“The prep should be almost over. It opens next week.”

After a minute, Wonwoo said, “You don’t have to stay here, you know.”

“Oh,” he reflected. “Well, do you want a ride back? I mean, how are you gonna get all this stuff to the house without a car?”

Wonwoo glanced at the bed of the truck, then at the other boy. “Have you ever gone a day without helping anyone?” When Junhui looked down and avoided his eyes, he added, “I’m just wondering. It’s almost like you can’t help it.” There was something strange in the way he spoke. Junhui didn’t find the usual criticism and caustic undertone. He sounded genuinely curious. Junhui wondered what changed since the last time they saw each other at _Angel Wings’_.

“I don’t know,” Junhui shrugged, picking at the bed-liner of the vehicle.

They were interrupted by the clanking and churning sound of the tow truck nearing. The driver stopped in front of Wonwoo’s car and stepped down, one hand holding a clipboard. Jackson eyed the truck as he walked back down, then saw Junhui.

“Hey, Jun,” he nodded.

“Hi,” the other smiled. 

As he and Wonwoo began to talk and auto jargon flew above his head, Junhui tuned them out, and went to the back of his car. He mentally calculated if the planks would fit in the trunk if he released the seats down. The trunk opened, he contemplated the space for a second, then went back to the truck to estimate the boards.

Jackson was getting Wonwoo’s information, scribbling down his driver’s license, then proceeded to the car registration information.

“There’s a seat in the tow if you wanna ride back with me,” Jackson informed him, “Or I can give you the number for the car rental services, and they’ll pick you up.”

“It’s not necessary. I’ll ride with Junhui.” He cocked an eyebrow, staring at the boy in question. Junhui had been practicing his spatial abilities, not paying attention to them. Having his name called suddenly threw him off.

Not hearing any response, Jackson glanced up, giving the younger a curious look.

“Right, I’ll drive him back.”

“Okay,” he said easily. While he went to put away the clipboard, Junhui folded down the back seat so that they could transport the materials over. Well, for Wonwoo to do it. Apparently, he didn’t think Junhui could do it without bleeding everywhere.

“Stay clear. There’s a shortage of lemon juice and vinegar on site right now,” he muttered low enough so that Jackson wouldn’t hear.

Even though he probably did it out of practicality, it was still a nice gesture, so Junhui thanked him. In response, he just grunted.

While he moved his stuff to the car, Jackson got busy attaching the truck on the pulley securely. They got done at about the same time. Jackson told Wonwoo that he could come to pick up any other personal items tomorrow morning, then advised Junhui to drive safely because he didn’t want to make another trip in this heat. Junhui laughed at his poor sarcasm, and they got in their respective cars.

Junhui waited for the tow truck to merge into the lane before following after. For such a big vehicle, it could move pretty fast. Not even a minute passed, and he was already five cars ahead. He wondered if this was why the guys let Jackson pick up cars. He did it faster than anyone else.

“Do you always drive this slow?” Wonwoo asked, staring at the speedometer.

Glancing at him briefly, Junhui said indignantly, “I’m already five miles above the speed limit.”

“Well, we wouldn’t want you to go too crazy now, would we?” he rolled his eyes, turning his attention to the window.

Deciding to ignore his snide comment, he asked, “We’re gonna pass through town. Is there anywhere you need to stop by for more supplies?”

He took a second, then checked his watch. “Stop by Jenkin’s store. Hopefully he’s still open.”

Arriving at the store, Wonwoo told him to keep the engine idling while he ran in to pick up his order. That was fine by him.

The store was pretty much empty from what he could tell, probably almost time for them to close for the day. As he waited, he checked his phone for messages.

 

**☆** **Hoshi** **☆** **:**

we’re here and EVERYTHING IS GREAT

are you doing ok?

 

**Jun Jun Jun (** **⁎˃** ᆺ **˂⁎** **):**

٩(^ᴗ^)۶ yay!!!

i’m glad things are working out 😉

i’m ok, don’t worry about me

have funnnnnn

 

 

Once he sent the reply, he put the phone away, but it beeped angrily at him, asking for more battery. He dug around in the glove compartment to find the charger, and plugged everything in. Once it’d gotten about half full, he began to wonder what took Wonwoo so long. Since he wasn’t in any hurry, he decided to turn off the engine and roll down the windows. The phone will get charged on the drive.

Bored and with nothing to do, he leaned back against the door and looked upward at the sky. Ever since the ice cream date, the sun had played hide and seek with the clouds. They were due for some rain tomorrow, according to the weather channel, a good break from the heat. The weather right now was the one right before summer rain. The air thick with moisture. _Bleh_.

Finally, Wonwoo came out with yet another bucket, filled with construction goodies. He climbed back into the car once he stuffed it in the trunk.

“That took a while,” Junhui commented. “Hope you got everything you needed.” He backed away and headed for Serenity Hill.

“He misplaced the order, so his son had to look for it.”

On the way, the sun had come out again, leaving the clouds looking like cotton candy smeared with honey. The pair didn’t really talk, but Junhui knew his driving was frustrating his passenger. Still, Junhui had to give him credit. Apart from that one comment after his truck got towed, he had not bitten the hand that fed him. To criticize the one person who had offered to drive you back free of charge would be rather idiotic. As they neared the house, Junhui asked where he would eventually keep the supplies so he could park as close as possible to it.

“Thanks,” he said, opening the passenger door.

“Would you mind if I went in and checked on Jelly?”

He shrugged. “Be my guest.”

Being the first one to enter the basement, Junhui propped the door open for him to bring the lumber and everything else in. He found the light switch, and he was glad to see that the cats looked fine. They still laid on ragged towels, but these looked cleaner and different than the ones from last time. Plus their food bowls contained the treats he bought. Wonwoo could say whatever he wanted, but it was clear he didn’t mind taking care of Jelly and her kitties.

Junhui grinned in excitement, kneeling down to scratch behind their ears and smooth backs. It had only been a week or so, but the kittens were bigger. Behind him, he heard Wonwoo moving about, stacking the buckets containing screws and nails on the shelves and table, while the boards were stacked in the corner of the room.

Jelly’s leg was no longer bandaged, and he carefully put his hand over the spot, to see if she would react. She sniffed his hand, but didn’t protest out of pain. She still didn’t get up, though, so maybe it was still weak. Hopefully, she’ll get better soon.

A loud rumbling made Junhui turn around, looking through the open doorway. Wonwoo was standing to the side, his head facing the same direction. Before Junhui could ask what that was, he noticed that the outside definitely looked darker than mere minutes ago. To prove his sanity, he glanced at the clock on the wall. It wasn’t even six o’clock yet.

Then he heard it before he saw the drops. Rain. Heavy rain. He got to his feet to see for himself.

Talk about inaccuracy. It was supposed to rain _tomorrow!_

Because of the heat wave lasting over a week and baking the dirt, now that the drops fell and splattered, instead of forming mud, dust flew up in a cloud. Junhui sneezed, but lingered. Although rain, each drop hitting the ground fell heavily enough to sound like hail, and he was rather concerned.

“You should’ve just gone home right away,” Wonwoo noted, leaning on the door with his arm. 

“It’s just summer rain. It’ll be over soon, right?” Right then, a clap of thunder and lightning lit up the front yard, startling Junhui and making want to kick himself for jinxing it. He sighed.

“Looks like you’re stuck here for a while,” Wonwoo said, then went to organize hisboxes of supplies.

“More or less,” he muttered. Driving in the rain on flat roads already made him nervous, now he would have to go through winding dirt roads on top of it. As much as he didn’t want to stay here, he wanted to crash even less.

To avoid getting soaked, he closed the door on the storm and went to sit by Jelly. Good thing he had his phone to at least let Hyejin know he wasn’t caught up in the storm, and that he was dry. He pressed her contact.

“Yeah, I just dropped him off a few minutes ago,” he told her.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked, trying hard not to sound worried. She failed. “Is the basement leak-free? That poor house: first fire and now a storm,” she sighed.

“Yeah, I know. The basement is dry and warmer than outside. I’m sure the rain will let up soon enough.”

“If it doesn’t,” she said, “I’ll ask Minghao to come get you.”

“What about the car? You need it tomorrow for work, Mom.”

She took a second to think. “If it doesn’t get better in two hours, your brother is coming to get you. We’ll deal with the car situation in the morning.”

How else could he answer but with, “Okay. I’ll talk to you soon. Bye, Mom.”

“Take care, Junnie.”

Groaning, he leaned back against the wall. He wanted his bed. One of the kittens waddled away from the towel and closer to him. He felt him sniff him before climbing into his lap. He glanced down, running his hand through his soft hair, noticing a darker spot on his side. “You shall be named Chip from now on,” Junhui told him, smiling as he meowed and licked his fingertips happily. “Chip, short for Chocolate Chip!”

“So how long are you stuck here?” Wonwoo asked from the other side of the room. With the door closed, Junhui now realized how small the basement seemed. Stuck in an inclosed space with a human-demon hybrid. Fantastic. At least when he was working with him in the house, it was sunny and if things turned sour, he had a way of running away. Besides the fact that Wonwoo didn’t stay in the same room with him for more than a few minutes to give instructions. Now they were in here until the rain let up or when the two hours were up, whichever came first. Because unlike him, Wonwoo had work to do. Currently, he was adding corner brackets to the shelves so that they could hold the weight of the growing collection of bolts, rivets, and power tools.

“Two hours,” Junhui said, watching him work for a minute. 

“See what I mean what I said that helping people will eventually get you the short end of the stick?” When Junhui didn’t answer, Wonwoo continued. “If you hadn’t stopped on your way this afternoon and picked me up, you’d be at home right now.”

“But who knows where you would be if I hadn’t?” Junhui questioned.

“Anywhere I’d end up would be better than where you are now,” he stated, drilling the last screw into the wood.

“Including out there?” Junhui gestured outside, where another clap of thunder made the ground shake. Chip startled, jumping back to his mother.

Wonwoo didn’t respond. He finished drilling the other rivets into the corner brackets, then checked to see if they were sturdy enough. The humidity from the rain combined with the warm air in the room, making Junhui feel sleepy. He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment. The rapid _tap tap tap_ of the rain hitting the door kept time. Maybe he’ll just nap with the kittens to pass the time.

“I know I’ve asked you this before,” Wonwoo suddenly said, disturbing the younger out of the state of half-awake, half-asleep. He lifted his head to show he was listening, and Wonwoo continued, “But does the reason why you act this way have anything to do with your condition and what happened last decade?”

“What way?” Under his scrutinizing gaze, Junhui squirmed, sitting up straighter.

“You know what way,” he said almost in exasperation.

Averted his gaze, Junhui spoke to his open palms, “Sort of. You wouldn’t understand.”

“Try me,” he challenged.

“It’s a long story,” Junhui stalled.

Wonwoo gave him a look. “I don’t see us going anywhere for the next couple hours.” Thunder punctuated his point.

Taking a deep breath, Junhui let it out slowly. “I was young and reckless, thinking I could go explore and find adventures. I wasn’t supposed to go into the woods alone, but I disobeyed my parents and did anyway. Something… happened while I was there. I don’t know…” Junhui breathed, pulling back the memories that for so long he’d managed to repress. “The next thing I remember is laying in bed at home... with people buzzing around me, frantic. Everything kind of turns fuzzy, but I was just told that I was... sick.”

He knew his sentences were broken, choppy, but there was little he could do to help it.

“A lot of doctors came to see me, but none of them could figure out what was wrong. No virus or infection or disease or anything. I was just... dying.” He paused, letting the fleeting images blur his vision. “I trashed around a lot, and I banged my arms and legs on the bed frame all the time. So they gave me a lot of drugs to sedate me, hoping it’d help with the pain, too, but it only made me numb. The burning and searing sensations still remained. I just couldn’t move or talk or anything.

“While I was... in that state, my parents stopped working to stay home with me, since no one else dared to approach me the weirder the symptoms got and the worse my health deteriorated. Minghao became a pariah at school, because parents were afraid their kids might catch whatever was wrong with me. Slowly, no one was willing to even talk to us. The news spread to the towns nearby, and some even stopped their businesses with Diamond Creek.”

Wonwoo met his eyes, and Junhui said evenly, “I single-handedly pushed Diamond Creek into the brink of bankruptcy within just a few months.” Chewing his lip, he lowered his gaze as he continued with a wry laugh, “I was pretty much just as good as dead at that point, but my mother took one last gamble. She stole an artifact she had been studying at the museum in the city. Apparently, it had healing abilities, so she thought it was worth a shot.

“With the help of Dr. Park Minji, the only one who was willing to help, they concocted some brew, then injected it into my blood. Kind of like some special modern magic potion, I guess,” he laughed once, then sobered up. “In my hysterics, I convulsed and thrashed around, knocking over everything within reach.” Unconsciously, his fingertips found the faint, tiny scars along his arms. “During the frenzy, I ended up biting my dad and scratching Dr. Minji, infecting them with whatever poison ran through me.” A lump rose in his throat, making it hard to breathe. He pulled his legs to his chest and hugged them. After a few seconds, he finally managed to find his voice. “In one evening, I took away my mother’s integrity, and two lives.”

Wonwoo was very quiet, as if lost in the story. Junhui had to look over to make sure he was still in the room. The way he watched him now had changed from so many times before, whether out of disgust or pity, Junhui wasn’t sure. Maybe a mixture of both. “It wasn’t your fault, though,” he said evenly.

“A lot of people would disagree,” Junhui answered, running his hands up and down his arms.

“How long does it take for them to get over it? They’ve recovered from that; the town is thriving in business.”

Sadly, Junhui met his eyes. “I don’t know. The Jeon murders took place almost a century ago. Are they over it yet?”

For the first time since Junhui had met him, he succeeded in making Wonwoo look away first.

“So guilt—”

“And gratitude,” Junhui interrupted, knowing where he was going.

“—is the main reason for you to want to rescue everyone,” he continued, “Why you’re doing community service.”

Junhui nodded. “It’s never going to be enough, never going to make up for the hardships over that year, but it’s all I can do to try to repay this debt.”

“How much do the townspeople know of the real events?” he wanted to know.

“Not that much. They know I got sick, that my mom broke the law in trying to help, and that my dad and Dr. Minji died that night because they got infected with my ‘disease.’ They don’t know the smaller details of how everything went down.”

They remained quiet an still for a long time. Outside, the rain hadn’t let up, but it didn’t get any worse, either, which was good. A flood would just make today even more awesome.

Finally, Junhui saw him fidget with a piece of metal. The object caught the light, reflecting back. “What was that artifact that was brewed for you?” Wonwoo didn’t look at him when he asked this.

“I never saw it, but my mom said it was a piece of crystal,” Junhui answered.

Wonwoo nodded, accepting the facts.

“Do you know where it came from?”

“She never said.” Wonwoo nodded again. Junhui wrung his hands, choosing his words carefully. “If I were to ask you a question, would you answer me truthfully?”

“It only seems fair,” he shrugged.

“Were Taeseung and Mikyung human?”

Smiling slightly, he replied, “Mikyung was. Taeseung was not.”

“Do you know what really happened to them that night?” Junhui was referring to the murders, and he understood.

“I thought I did, but I’m not so sure anymore,” he admitted.

“What changed that?”

“In one word?” he kept his gaze steadily on him. “You.”

“What?” Startled, Junhui stared back at him full of confusion. “I don’t… understand.”

Shaking his head, Wonwoo let go of whatever had kept him busy and strode toward the younger. He dropped himself on one knee and rested his arms on the other leg. “We have a lot more in common than a house renovation project,” he began, gaze wracking over his face as if searching for something.

“We both have pasts that we can’t run away from,” he paused, and Junhui wondered idly how terrible Wonwoo’s past must be like.

“But most importantly,” he continued. “The same piece of crystal that saved your life also saved mine from my own kind. If it wasn’t for that crystal, Taeseung’s baby would have been dead.”

Sitting back, Junhui’s mouth hung open for a second before he remembered to close it. Suddenly what Jaehyun had said this afternoon at the ice cream parlor popped into his head: _birds of a feather flock together_. “How... How is that even possible?” his voice sounded like a whisper.

The ringtone and vibration of his phone jolted him out of this haze. Blinking, Junhui glanced from Wonwoo to the screen, reading the name.

“Sorry, it’s my brother.”

“Answer it.”

With shaking fingers, Junhui pressed the phone to his ear.“Hey, Hao.”

“Hey, I’m outside. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” he answered, “I’ll be right out.” Hanging up, Junhui stared at Wonwoo, expecting him to at least finish.

But the older got to his feet. “You need to go home.”

Of course it wouldn’t be that easy. By the impassive look on Wonwoo’s face, he knew his window of opportunity already closed. With reluctance, he nodded and stood up. “Right.”

As he reached the door, Wonwoo grabbed his arm to stop him momentarily. He waited a second before speaking, as if composing his thoughts. “Thank you for letting me into your past. I know it couldn’t have been easy.”

For once, he sounded sincere. It was so strange to hear Jeon Wonwoo speaking without any hint of sarcasm or irritation. His skin felt hot where it made contact with the older’s palm.

Ignoring the pounding of his heart, Junhui nodded. Keeping eye contact, he asked softly, “Do you think that one day you’ll let me into yours?” he didn’t expect a response right away, and Wonwoo didn’t give him one. Instead, he released the boy’s arm and opened the door for him.

The storm had let up somewhat, but the sky had turned dark. Two headlights pierced through the sheet of water and darkness. Without another word, Junhui stepped out into the rain.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now you know why the town hates him... poor junnie... 😔 and poor mom! she's lucky she didn't end up in jail for stealing from the museum (the cover story is that she "lost" the crystal, and since no one found any proof of her keeping the crystal, she was only fired. Marilyn Dennis suspects, that's why she gave Hyejin such a hard time at the interview. jerk!)
> 
> Hurray for WonHui growing a little closer! hahahaha. it's a sloooooow progress, i'm sorry 😅
> 
> and Hurray for SeokSoon starting to sail too! hahahahah.
> 
> So next chapter is another short Wonu POV, so i'll try to have it up in a couple days (if things turn out ok at home 😩 adulting sucks lol)
> 
> as always, thank you very much for reading! see you sooooon~  
> xoxoxo


	12. Heart of Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo reflects on the crystal inside of him and Jun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short Wonu POV. The first part takes place after Ch. 10, after Wonu returns from Nyosha the witch's hut, and then it touches a bit on WonHui's convo in Ch. 11. 
> 
> WARNING: non-graphic description of blood and very minor character deaths
> 
> -

 

_ July _

 

The night Wonwoo came back from Nyosha’s shack, the utter betrayal from the people who claimed to be his family weighed down his limbs and turned his bones to lead.

After decades of constant preaching about loyalty being one of the most basic and important values of Alcaeus Clan, could the Elders really have twisted up history for their own sakes? Was the witch trustworthy? Did her narrative hold more weight—more truth—than everything he’d been led to believe and forced to learn about his family history?

Truth be told, Wonwoo didn’t want to believe her. Because believing her would mean that his entire life had been founded on nothing more than well-constructed lies.At the moment, he could feel the foundation shaking loose right under his feet. No matter how determined he was to keep it together, it was evident that the structure would soon crumble to dust, leaving him bare with hardly a handful of concrete facts, if any at all.

If he couldn’t even trust his family... Could he trust a complete stranger? What would she gain by lying to him? What would the Elders gain by lying to him?

Sighing, Wonwoo climbed the stairs and went inside the house, not stopping until he reached the second floor. He went into his room, mind racing trying to understand the motive and reason why the Elders would keep these secrets from him. Why lie if they were in the right and Taeseung in the wrong? Did they think that if Wonwoo knew the truth, he would follow in his ancestor’s footsteps?

That didn’t make much sense.

From very early on, Wonwoo had been taught to hate Taeseung and Mikyung, to loath the humans for causing all that chaos that upheaved their Clan, to group the traitors in the same category and to hold them accountable for their actions. There was no exception to the rule, even for him, their descendant, a product of that shameful union. In fact, he had the lessons ingrained into him much more ruthlessly than the other kids _because_ the traitors’ blood coursed in his own body.

So then why?

He couldn’t help but wonder about Jeon Hwan, Taeseung’s son. Objectively, the Clan should have gotten rid of the child—destroyed him—in spite for what his parents did. But instead, he was brought back and raised as one of their own. To what end? Were they merely trying to protect the secrecy of their people by tying up loose ends? Or was it due to their inability to kill him because of the crystal, thus leaving them no choice but to raise him?

A knocking at the door interrupted his thoughts, and Wonwoo turned around.Minsoo stood there, her head cocked to the side.

“Isn’t this a little late for a visit?” he asked, trying to keep his voice level. “Or are you here for a midnight snack?”

Shaking her head she entered the room cautiously. “I had a feeling you were... distressed.”

“Distressed,” he repeated with a wry laugh. “I am beyond distressed at this point.” He paced to the bed and sank onto the mattress.

She took a seat next to him, taking his hand in both of hers. Momentarily distracted by his own tumultuous thoughts, he didn’t feel it until the magic flowed halfway up his arm. With a jerk, he yanked his hand free.

“Don’t do that!” he snapped, standing up. “I hate it when you try to placate me. It doesn’t work for more than a few hours, and then when the magic wears out, I feel even worse than before.”

“Wonwoo,” she called softly, “you’re obviously upset. Tell me what’s wrong.”

It took him a few seconds to debate confiding in her about this matter. Minsoo had always been the person he trusted the most. She would tell him the truth if she knew. Taking a breath, he sat back down, burying his face in his palms with a frustrated groan. He felt her small hands rub his shoulders back and forth. This was the sort of thing that made her different from the rest of the Alcaeus. Physical contact meant to soothe and comfort. Were Wonwoo seated next to anyone one else, they wouldn’t even have the patience to ask about him.

Clearing his throat, he began, “I met a witch in the woods claiming she knew Taeseung and Mikyung.”

Her movements stopped. “Oh.” Then became hesitant when she resumed. “What—what happened?”

“She told me a lot of things, most of them unsettling.”

“Things about Taeseung and Mikyung?” she asked tentatively.

“Yes, and things about me.” Wonwoo paused for a heartbeat, hearing her breath catch. “Ultimately about Junhui, too.”

“Junhui?” she echoed. “What does he have to do with anything?”

“Well, I found out why my—our—blood is so different.” Facing his gaze now, she pulled her hand away and folded both of them in her lap. Wonwoo continued to talk, but her eyes lowered, then focused on a spot by the door, shoulders hunched. “Did you know about the crystal?” he asked.

She nodded, her arms tightening around herself. “I did.” Shaking her head, she added, “You weren’t supposed to find out about it.”

A pang pierced his chest at the admission. Gritting his teeth, he kept his voice level. “Why would they keep it secret from me?”

“They were afraid that... They thought that if you acknowledged its presence in you, you might—”

“I might turn against them like Taeseung did when he met Mikyung,” he finished, eyes narrowing. “And they would lose control over me.”

Minsoo didn’t comment on that last part, but her next words came out in a whisper. “They didn’t want you to turn human.”

That response left him baffled, and his brows arched. “There’s not much human left in me. That should’ve been a concern for Hwan, even my father. They were the ones with the potential to turn rogue.” Wonwoo sighed, staring at the dark sky through the window as if the answer might just appear on a wisp of cloud. After a second, he asked, “Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“I wanted to,” she looked at him now, genuinely bothered. “But I couldn’t. I was...”

“Scared,” he said, and she nodded.

“No one disobeys them without paying the price,” she whispered.

Wonwoo knew what was flittering in her thoughts now. Reaching over, he held her hands in one of his.

Minsoo’s mother, Mina, was executed when Minsoo was about six. Minsoo’s aunt, Minsung, had run off with her boyfriend, the son of a very prominent Clan member a few months prior. The couple took with them a large sum of money from his family fortune. Mina was brought out in front of the Elders and ordered to tell them the whereabouts of her sister. She had refused to speak, despite the evidence that proved the sisters had been in communication.

For her insubordination by withholding her tongue, they saw it fit to cut it off. Then they slit her throat.

It was a public execution. To ensure that Mina’s remorse could follow her to the grave, they placed Minsoo right in front, facing her mother as Mina’s throat was bared and cut open.

Wonwoo was there, too. His mother had wanted him present to witness the consequences of going against the Clan. All he could remember from that day was seeing Mina’s blood sprayed over Minsoo’s clothes, hearing both of their startled cries and screams, as Mina fell to a heap on the floor. Minsoo had convulsed from shock and fainted.

Two months later, Minsung and her boyfriend were found and apprehended to meet their punishment. Since they wanted to live together with all that money so desperately that they decided to leave without permission, they were imprisoned in a cave with what was left of the money, devoid of food, water, and air.

It was strange how until now, those sanctions never bothered him. Maybe Wonwoo _was_ turning human. A shudder passed through him, snapping him back to the present. He changed the subject for Minsoo’s sake.

“Do you know how the Clan was even able to approach Hwan with the crystal working?”

Minsoo blinked, coming back to reality now, too. “Mother Rosamond,” she started. “She passed away when Hwan was in his twenties. She had the ability to project the opposite of what was inside of her.”

“So she was able to trick the crystal,” Wonwoo reckoned, and his friend nodded.

“Mother Rosamond raised Hwan as her own after the murders, infusing him with the ethics and values of the Clan. I suppose that with time, the crystal lost its potency due his own decisions and way of life.”

That reminded Wonwoo that he never saw his father act any differently from the rest of the purebloods, not even with his own son. Maybe if the older Jeon had showed some peculiar signs or actions, the crystal might had started working sooner than when Wonwoo got to know Junhui. Since his father’s heart had been as much of a stone as Wonwoo’s, there was no reason for either piece of crystal to work. Now that the older man was dead, there wasn’t much that could be done to change that.

“Do you know if there’s a way to shut it off?” Wonwoo asked Minsoo.

“What are you talking about?”

Then he realized that maybe she didn’t know that it had been back at work, trying to thaw out his heart. “The crystal in me,” he explained. “According to that witch, being near Junhui’s piece has gotten mine to start up.”

“Wow!” she exclaimed. “Do you feel any different?”

“Apart from the obvious temper flares, not really,” he muttered. “And I don’t even need to be close to him, it’s just this brewing energy inside. Ugh.” Pushing himself to his feet, he paced to the window, looking down at the yard.

“I don’t think there’s a way to just stop it, Wonwoo,” she said quietly behind him.

“The others found a way to do it,” he retorted. “And they were more human than I am.”

“But they didn’t have anyone like Wen Junhui around,” she reminded him. “Maybe... Maybe the best solution would be for you to stop fighting it.”

“ _What_?” He spun around, staring at her, hoping he’d heard her wrong. “You’re telling me to just give in?”

“No,” she shook her head. “Just stop fighting it. Clearly, you’re not winning this battle. It’s _inside_ of you. You can’t fight it as much as you can’t fight being partially human. The faster you can put it aside, the better you can focus on why you’re here. Once that’s done, you can go home. Distance might be the only long-term solution.”

 

That was how Wonwoo ended up restraining the beast back and let the rock do its job. In the end, he supposed Minsoo had a point. He couldn’t fight his genetic makeup, so he could either waste time and energy to no avail, or he could just go along for the ride for the time being. He’d lived twenty-four years with it being close to nonexistent. A few weeks with it working shouldn’t kill him.

Besides, if he hadn’t, he never would’ve found out about Junhui’s rough past.

It had been a strange feeling being at the listener end of the story, almost like a confidant. The feeling was foreign, but not as difficult to handle as he had thought. Not to say that the experience was enjoyable, but the occasional aggravation from the boy’s actions weren’t as intense as before, and Wonwoo was actually able to listen and focus on what he was telling him. The most surprising part, though, was how much aggravation he felt toward the townspeople for bullying the poor kid over something completely out of his grasp. A bunch of cowards.

From the way Junhui had told his story, it was clear that Wonwoo might have been the first person he ever told it to, at the very least with as much detail. Which was quite ironic. Even if Wonwoo couldn’t entirely grasp his compassion for everyone around him, at least Wonwoo had a rational explanation for Junhui’s selflessness and incredible sense of empathy. Perhaps the crystal enhanced that trait, but ultimately it had shaped who Junhui had become. 

Victim wasn’t the word, but that was what Junhui was. As was Wonwoo. Recipients of bad consequences from their past. The pair won’t ever see eye to eye, but they did share common points. Idly, he wondered if somewhere, someone had planned it this way.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Imagine being wonu and growing up seeing that kind of torture, and thinking it was normal... poor wonu. no wonder he's so (wait for it...) heartless *ba dum tssi* ٩( ᐛ )و 
> 
> Sorry there wasn't much action in this one, but hopefully it offered some insight on Wonu and the Clan's inner workings. We'll pick up next Thursday for me~
> 
> Thank you very much for reading! See you soon!  
> xoxoxo


	13. A Taste of His Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun does some snooping, and Wonu finally opens up a little.

 

 

 

“Are you ready to get back to work?” Minghao asked through the receiver.

It was Monday morning, and Junhui had just pulled a load of laundry from the dryer. His phone had rung when he carried the basket into his room and set it at the foot of his bed.

“Work?” he asked hesitantly. Was he supposed to be doing something important today?

“Renovating. Wonwoo’s here to pick up his stuff, and he asked if you were free to come help out at the house.”

“Oh.” Everything clicked into place.

Obviously after a rather strange evening spent in Wonwoo’s basement and the storm raging through the night, Junhui hadn’t gotten much sleep. It wasn’t raining anymore, but the storm left remnants in the forms of mud, puddles, and clouds that didn’t clear until very recently. The air still felt wet and crisp; the storm had obviously taken with it the last remnant of the heat wave. Now it was actually possible to open the windows and get some fresh air without getting baked alive.

“So are you doing anything today?” Minghao prompted, getting his brother back on topic and pulling him away from staring out the window into the wet yard.

“I’m about to fold the laundry, but I don’t think there’s anything pressing other than that. I guess I can bike into town and borrow Mom’s car after I’m done.” Earlier this morning, Minghao had had to drive Hyejin up to the hill for her Honda.

“He says he’ll pick you up in half an hour at home.”

“Oh.” Junhui chewed on his bottom lip, thinking over this.

“Is that a problem?”

“No, it’s fine!” he said quickly, not wanting to alert him that anything was wrong. The truth was, though, that he hadn’t figured out how to face Wonwoo after their conversation, much less anticipate being in a car with him pushing the speed limit. Objectively, nothing had changed. They were the same people now as they were before Junhui told him the truth about himself. But somehow, something had shifted just slightly. He couldn’t explain what it was, but it felt different now that Wonwoo knew.

Junhui chatted with Minghao a bit more, then the latter returned to work. Quickly, he got through the laundry then went to get ready for another day at the Jeon House. A few minutes later, he heard a car approaching, and he looked out the window. The shiny car came to a stop in front of the house, and Wonwoo stepped out, leaving the engine running. Junhui grabbed his bag and went out the door as Wonwoo neared the porch.

Junhui wasn’t so sure what he expected their encounter to be like. He anticipated at least _something_. Certainly more than an awkward ‘hello’ and silent car ride. Really, he did reveal the most painful and remorseful event of his life last night, and Wonwoo showed as much reaction as a stone statue. As that thought flitted through his mind, Junhui paused. Perhaps if Jeon Wonwoo were a regular human being, he might have acted the way Junhui predicted. However, he was not. Junhui had unintentionally set his expectations too high toward someone who could barely feel any emotions. Of course Wonwoo wouldn’t be affected.

Riding with Wonwoo only a couple times beforehand did not lessen the younger’s anxiety when he maintained highway speed going along the winding road bordering the foothill. This time, though, Junhui had somewhat steadied himself and grabbed onto the door rather than tear at his seat. When he got out of the car, his eyes strained on the kitchen side of the house, he let out a low “Whoa,” in appreciation.

In one evening, Wonwoo had managed to rebuild the foundation with the beams and plywood, giving that side at least some structure instead of a huge burned out hole. All that remained for him to get done was to apply the plaster, sand it, and repaint. Along the way, he would have to smooth out a few edges, but to accomplish so much in one night, this was amazing. Junhui knew Wonwoo could work fast; he didn’t imagine he was _this_ fast.

“Couldn’t sleep last night,” he said dismissively as an explanation when he passed in front of his volunteer.

“Didn’t let the storm stop you, either,” the latter muttered, still awed.

Wonwoo shrugged.“I don’t have a definitive checklist for you to go through this time,” he went on, “So just do what you can around the house.”

“Okay,” Junhui agreed easily, then climbed up the steps, while Wonwoo headed off toward his unfinished project.

When Junhui stepped inside for the first time since the incident in the kitchen, he noticed how light the first floor appeared. Then he remembered that the windows were washed now, and the moldy wallpaper had been stripped, leaving the walls white and clean. Moreover, during his absent week, Wonwoo had thrown out the old and broken cabinets and shelves, so the place seemed even larger with more space made. Next to the staircase were several boxes of different sizes and brand labels. Junhui guessed those were the new pieces Wonwoo bought to replace the ones he had discarded. Approaching the lot, Junhui picked through them to see which room they belonged in, noticing a few items for the kitchen and some for the dinning room.

Now that Wonwoo gave him free reign of the indoors, Junhui actually had to take a moment to determine where and what to start with. His gaze fell on the surface of the dinning room table, and he noticed the streaks made in the dust along with the specks floating in the sun. Doing a small 360, he decided to dedicate today to just cleaning.

In order not to choke on all the dust and whatnot that might fly up during this belated spring cleaning tour, he went around opening every window he could as wide as possible. Putting on a face mask, he set off to work and attacked the highest pantry and mounted cabinet still around, before moving on to the ones lower down. He was glad that there weren’t as many surfaces left; nevertheless, it was enough to give his arms a good workout. By the time he was done dusting and polishing the wood, he took a break by visiting the rest of the house to see what else could be done apart from sweeping, vacuuming and mopping. He avoided the kitchen, though, knowing Wonwoo would be in there. Junhui could do without more awkwardness and uncontrolled erratic heartbeats.

Down the hall, he opened the door to a large room that he hadn’t entered before. With a cursory look around, he guessed the Jeons must have used this room to entertain guests. There was a large fireplace in the corner. The mantle above it held a few decorative pieces, he assumed, because whatever rested there had been covered with a light tarp as protection from the element of time. Under another tarp was a small coffee table with beautifully detailed designs. At least he won’t have to dust this, he thought as he put back the cloth. Next to it were a set of couches, also covered up. Against the walls were some smaller decorative pieces that had gathered dust.

The room didn’t have any windows despite its size, which seemed a little strange to him. The only source of light came from the hanging chandelier. Unlike the ones from the other rooms, this one didn’t have as much muck stuck on the pieces of glass, allowing the light bulb to shine quite bright. On the wall, several frames were hung, but he couldn’t make out what they were of exactly. They seemed to be pictures and paintings.

Approaching one, he reached up and unhooked it from the wall in order to clean the glass. It was a picture of the house in its glory days, with Taeseung and Mikyung standing in front of it, smiling at the camera. Apart from the trees and the wear and tear of time, the hilltop looked almost identical to how it did now. He put back the picture and moved on to the next.

This one showed about fifty girls aging between six and eighteen, sitting and standing around a couple in their late thirties. They all stood in front of a large building, a plaque reading _Rosalyn and Azure All Girls Academy_. So Mikyung must be one of the girls in this shot. Another frame held a picture of Taeseung, probably in his carpenter shop, working on an intricate baby cradle. He was deep in concentration, but the joy was clear on his face. They were expecting their child at this point. Junhui’s smile fell when he realized that their joy and happiness didn’t last very long after this picture was taken.

Next, on the opposite wall was a frame that held something with color. He’d been staring at black and white pictures for so long, he almost forgot about colors. Under the layer of dust, it seemed like a painting with trees and a little house. He wiped the glass covering the painting clean, but it turned out not to be a painting at all. It was an embroidery.

The scene was set during nighttime with a full moon, hidden partially by tall trees. A lone house stood in the middle of the field, a single window lit. At the open door, the lady had stepped out to speak with a man holding an unlit candle stick. This must have taken so long to get done. The details and tiny stitches made it look like a painting. It left him in awe for a second. On the bottom, the words _Au Clair de la Lune_ were embroidered next to a baby’s handprint in ink.

With a smile, he traced over the letters with his fingertips. Now he understood the scene. It was an illustration of the French lullaby. This was probably the baby’s favorite. Junhui didn’t know all the words to the song, just the first couple verses, but he remembered the melody. It was the first song that his dad taught him how to play on his old piano.

Thinking about it, the notes played in his head, and Junhui hummed it softly. His dad was a musician at heart despite his white-collar day job as a financial advisor. He used to take a couple hours on the weekend to teach Junhui easy songs, mostly lullabies. He remembered sitting on the piano bench, his legs not long enough to reach the floor. Some memories were of just him and his dad right after his biological mother left, other times Junhui had glimpses of moments with Hyejin and Minghao. Of course, Junhui didn’t know much aside from simple scales and melodies. _Au Clair de la Lune_ , though, was special to him. After a few more seconds admiring the embroidery, he made cleaned the glass to a shine and put the frame back on the wall.

The tall glass door cabinet standing nearby needed some TLC, too. As Junhui sprayed the cleaning agent on the glass and began to wipe, he heard a very faint humming. Like if someone in another part of the house was singing the lullaby.

He stopped working abruptly, trying to catch where it could be coming from, but then it vanished. Goosebumps rose on his arms, and he shivered. Paranoid that he was, he glanced over his shoulders to make sure no one stood behind him. When he faced the suds on the glass panes, he had a second of hesitation before he wiped it away, afraid that a face might appear hovering over his shoulder in the reflection.

Thankfully, though, nothing that creepy happened, and Junhui could almost persuade himself that hearing the song was caused by inhaling too much cleaning product and his own imagination.

Almost.

With all the commotion with Wonwoo, he’d almost forgotten that this house was presumably haunted. Consequently, that rationalization didn’t last very long. The strange thing, though, Junhui mused as he resumed working, as much as Wonwoo unnerved him, the house hadn’t been nearly as bad. It wasn’t to say that Junhui felt completely at ease inside it, but it certainly didn’t chase him away, either. Actually at times, whenever he could catch glimpses of the Jeons’ lives through snapshots, he almost felt welcomed. _How strange._

Pushing that notion away, Junhui opened the doors to see if the inside needed to be dusted. It didn’t. Guess having the doors closed helped keeping the dust from landing on the knick-knacks. On the few shelves, smaller pictures and little items were displayed, along with a couple hand-sized cars made out of wood parked in front of a little ceramic house. One car was painted to look like a real model, the other only had a coat of wood finishing. There was a fine china set with twelve cups and saucers with a pot in the middle. Three wood figurines of the family made in the simplest manner, yet still extremely cute and beautiful, stood on one side of the shelf. Above the knick-knacks were frames containing dried and pressed flowers. The bottom shelves stored books and some boxes he couldn’t bring himself to open. It already felt a little like invading their private space when he went through their pictures, he didn’t want to make it worse. Especially if Wonwoo caught him snooping. _Yikes_.

Picking up the picture frame in the middle, Junhui watched their faces again, wondering how this beautiful family could end up suffering such a tragic and painful death. As his eyes roamed the image one last time before he put it away, something in the corner made him pause and take a closer look. He squinted. Someone had written on top of the photo in pen: the letter A. It was small enough that it could be overlooked if one didn’t know it was there or pay particular attention. Weird. The letter had no connection to the context of the subject of the shot. Putting it back, Junhui held another photo close to his eyes. The letter wasn’t in the same spot, this time it was centered and toward the left: L. Intrigued, he searched the others to see if they all had a hidden letter. In the end, they all did. Without moving their location on the shelf, the letters from each image formed the word: CLAIRE.

Was that someone’s name? Were the Jeons trying to reach someone they knew named Claire? Maybe Wonwoo knew about this. Junhui would have to remember to ask him later. Interrupting him while he was working didn’t sound like a good idea. Besides, Junhui still had work to do himself. He grabbed the bucket with the various cleaning supplies, then left the room.

As Junhui walked toward the stairs, something outside crashed loudly to the ground. He startled with a gasp. When he didn’t hear anything else, his heart rate picked up. He ran out and rounded the house toward the kitchen.

Laying in a heap of metal bars, the scaffolding he’d seen this morning was no more. Wonwoo was standing off the side by the makeshift table he’d set up, a stunned expression on his face.

“Are you okay? What happened?” Junhui asked in shock as he came closer. The dust from the crash hadn’t even settled down completely. He coughed a few times.

Wonwoo blinked, quite baffled. “It just collapsed,” he said. “I haven’t even used it today.”

With just a cursory examination, it was clear that the accident wasn’t the result of just a loose screw or two. If that were the case, most of the bars would have still been attached. Here, everything fell apart. To accomplish that, every single screw would’ve had to be messed with. Suddenly, Jaehyun’s admission to indirectly helping the burning of the house came to mind. Junhui glanced at Wonwoo, unsure if he should say something about it. How would Jaehyun even be able to do it, though? Wonwoo had been here the whole night. He only left for a short instance to pick up his car and Junhui; that wouldn’t have given the saboteur much time. Besides, messing with all the screws without actually going overboard and bringing the whole structure down was no easy task, and Jaehyun was far from a handyman. Thinking it over, Junhui decided not to say anything.

“Are you gonna be able to fix it?” he asked instead, turning back to him.

“Did it once, should be able to do it again,” Wonwoo sighed. “There goes more time wasted.” Digging into his tool box, he pulled out a wrench and a couple of screwdrivers.

“I can help!” _I think_.

Wonwoo looked him up and down, probably debating whether the time he could save by having an extra set of hands helping would be worth the potential delay the younger’s clumsiness might result in. Setting down the tools, he approached the bench again.

“Do you know how to handle a power drill?” he asked as he grabbed the tool and switched the head for a mixing paddle.

“Yeah, sure.”

“It shouldn’t take me that long to build the scaffolding,” he said. He picked up a bag of plaster and a clean plastic bucket on the table. “While I get that going, mix up the rough-coats. The instruction on the bag should tell you how much water to use. Get the water in here first,” he tapped the rim of the bucket, “then pour the dry plaster in. Careful not to dump the whole bag in all at once or it’ll just fly up in your face.” Junhui nodded obediently. “Once it’s all in, insert the stirring paddle into the mixture. Start on the lowest setting first, then raise it up gradually until it’s all smooth.” With a sure hand, Wonwoo pushed the buttons on the drill to show him which was which, then put it down. “Got it?”

“Got it. It’s like baking.”

“Yeah, sure.” Picking up his tools again, Wonwoo went toward the pile of metals and plywood.

Left to his own devices, Junhui checked how much liquid was needed, then went to the hose to fill up the bucket. By the time he came back, Wonwoo had already finished assembling the first level of the scaffold. Seriously, why bother complaining about not having enough time when he apparently moved at warp-speed?

To find something to cut the bag open, Junhui looked through the tool kit and came up with a cutter. It was a little superfluous considering its size, but he wasn’t going to risk opening the bag on his own and having it explode in his face. He emptied the bag slowly into the water before picking up the drill. Making himself think of this as mixing cake batter, he submerged the paddle into it and hit the first button. The motion was definitely stronger than his egg mixer, but it wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. He swirled it around the tub for a minute or so, trying to get as much surface area as possible before switching to the second power. Now he had to control the drill with both hands, which made it somewhat difficult with the height of the bucket and work bench. When he glanced over at Wonwoo, the latter was assembling the last few bars of the second level.Did he really work at warp-speed?

Getting back on track, Junhui braced himself for the last setting, which was bound to be bumpy. For a split second, the drill escaped his control, hitting against the side of the bucket loudly. He jerked it back, putting all his weight on it to make sure it stayed in his hands. Pushing himself on his tiptoes, he peered at the off-white, sludge-like content. A shadow fell over his shoulder, and he turned around to see Wonwoo peering over him. Quickly glancing at the kitchen wall, Junhui noticed the scaffold had been fully restored.

“Wow. That was fast.”

“Mm.”

Looking at him from such close proximity, Junhui suddenly felt really small, and he shrank back unconsciously.

His hair was slightly damp from the sweat, brushing against his forehead. A faintenticing scent of pine wafted around them. The heat from his body wrapped around Junhui’s back, somehow managing to climb onto his cheeks and affecting his heartbeat.

Wonwoo shifted slightly, snapping Junhui out of the sudden daze. His cheeks burned as he quickly averted his gaze from Wonwoo’s face. His skin tingled from the embarrassment, but when he mustered up the courage to check, he let out a relieved sigh.

Wonwoo wasn’t looking at him, too focused on the bucket. When his arm reached out, the sleeve of his t-shirt pulled up a little, revealing just a hint of a scar on his inner upper arm.

Just as Junhui opened his mouth to ask about it, he lost his chance. There was no room for questions, when Wonwoo’s hand came to rest a hair away from his own on the drill.

“You gotta make sure to get the bottom and side, too,” he said as he pushed on the base of the tool, making the head come in contact with the bottom of the bucket. Junhui felt resistance, which meant that some of the mix had gathered down there and wasn’t incorporated into the blend.

“R-right,” he nodded dizzily.

Slowly, Junhui released his hold and stepped to the side. With Wonwoo standing so close, it made him feel… agitated. He took a lungful of fresh air, pretending to stretch as he checked his cheeks for warmth.

Without Junhui in the way, Wonwoo moved closer to the bench and leaned the bucket over just a little so he could get all the plaster combined properly. Once he was satisfied, he turned off the drill and began to assemble the pan and knife for the application on the lath.

On his left, something moved and Junhui glanced over reflexively. The most embarrassing yelp escaped his lips, and before he knew it, he had scampered behind Wonwoo, grabbing onto the sides of his shirt. His heart was still thumping unevenly in his chest when Wonwoo stopped working to look over at him, then at the offending _giant_ spider which was making its way toward the tool kit. It was the size of a dime, with black and furry legs.

“That’s the reason you screamed?” he asked with an amused expression, meeting the younger’s eyes over his shoulder. “You’re such a scaredy-cat.”

In hindsight, Junhui guessed he understood why Wonwoo thought the situation was humorous. There Junhui was, hiding from a spider behind a freakish demon hybrid person.

“It just came out of nowhere and startled me,” he defended lamely, peeking over.

With the putty knife he was holding, Wonwoo flicked the bug onto the ground. The spider ran off, and Junhui shivered.

“Okay,” Wonwoo nodded, but there was clearly still amusement in his voice.

Junhui felt like an idiot. If it weren’t for the fact that he still had _some_ self-respect and dignity left, he’d have run for the nearest tree to crash onto.

Unaware of his volunteer’s thoughts, Wonwoo poured some of the mix into the pan to facilitate the application. “Can you pick up that bucket? Actually, never mind.” Before Junhui could even move to grab the handle, Wonwoo changed his mind. “Hold this.” He handed him the mud pan he had filled and pointed to the kitchen. Grateful for distraction, Junhui shook himself off and returned to work mode. He walked off with the supplies with Wonwoo following, carrying the plaster.

Junhui set the pan down on the first level of the structure, which came to about their chests. Wonwoo lifted the bucket and set it next to the pan, then climbed onto the scaffolding. He checked the nails, the sleeve of his shirt rising. Again, Junhui noticed the scar. It was old, but rather large.

“What happened to your arm?” Junhui asked, taking him by surprise.

He glanced down at him before saying, “Hunting accident.” His voice didn’t sound like usual, as if it was a well-rehearsed line.

“What were you hunting?”

He sighed, and Junhui thought that he would tell him to stop getting into his business. Instead he replied with a hint of smirk, “Dinner.”

“Oh.” Junhui shrank back.

“Can you go grab me the hammer?” he said, occupied with the wall again.

Junhui went back to the bench and got it.

When he handed it to him, Wonwoo took a second, holding the tool in his hand. “I was thirteen: reckless and arrogant. I thought I could take down the elk with no problem. Needless to say, that elk and I caused more damage than good. This,” he pulled the sleeve up, revealing a wide and long scar, “is a constant reminder to think before doing anything stupid.”

Something didn’t sound right, so Junhui clarified, “You mean, that scar wasn’t from the elk?”

“No,” he shook his head, a sad smile on his lips. “The elk broke a few ribs, but this was courtesy of my dear mother.” Junhui’s breath caught as he stared at him with round eyes. Wonwoo smiled softly, seeing the obvious shock at his admission. “She believes that pain is the best teacher there is.”

“But... you’d already broken your ribs,” Junhui said slowly.

Shrugging, he turned the hammer head in his palm. “Guess she didn’t think it was permanent enough.”

“I’m sorry,” Junhui said. Wonwoo watched him intently, confusion and something else combined in his gaze. Finally, he just nodded and turned to add a few more penny nails to the frame.

 

That evening at dinner, the interaction with Hyejin offered such a contrast to the picture that Wonwoo had drawn of his mother and their dynamics, it caused Junhui’s heart to sink despite the funny stories shared. First, Hyejin asked about his day, and how Wonwoo was doing. Then she shared her day, and while Junhui laughed genuinely, he still thought about Wonwoo’s childhood and how different it was from his.

Really, what a nightmarish childhood it must have been.

Later that night, when Hyejin went off to shower and Junhui remained by himself in the kitchen, he pulled out a piece of paper and grabbed a pen. The strange letters written on the pictures from the Jeon House parlor still lingered in his mind. It had spelled out CLAIRE, but could it have other meanings? What was the significance of all those letters? He’d wanted to ask Wonwoo today, yet he held back for some reason. Maybe he was just too much of a coward to come out and ask him about something that might have been a family secret. He’d finally gotten Wonwoo open up, albeit a tiny bit. He didn’t want to get on his bad side again.

Furthermore, Junhui might just be a sucker for obvious details, but he had to see that CLAIRE was also the feminine form of ‘clair’ from the title of the song. Did it have anything to do with that? On the paper, he wrote out both the word and the title, trying to figure out if they could mean more than they appeared.

While he chewed on the top of his thumb thinking of how these words would work out, Minghao came into the kitchen to pour himself some ice tea. “What are you working on?”

“Eh,” he shrugged, putting his hands over his face and leaned back. “Just some brain teasers, I guess. Are you any good at anagrams?”

“Anagrams, huh?” He came over and took a look. A few seconds later, he began slowly, “For this,” he pointed to ‘claire’, “I see: la rice, eclair, I clear, and car lie.”

“Wow, I’m impressed,” Junhui said, and he rolled his eyes.

“I’m sure there’s more. You know you can just put the word in some anagram program online and watch it spit out a list for you.”

Junhui couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of that. “Oh, yeah. That’s a really good suggestion. Thanks.”

“Sure. Have fun!” He took his cup of tea with him.

Pulling out his phone, Junhui googled for an anagram solver, then clicked on the most promising one. Next he inserted “claire” again to see if there were more. Other than the ones Minghao got, one more seemed reasonable: a relic.

Considering what was inside of him (and Wonwoo), this was a little freaky. He did the same for the lullaby’s name, and out popped a few that made sense; most of them were simply random words formed: Alliance Rue Laud, Alliance Rue Dual, A Dual Nice Allure. He wasn’t so sure how this helped with anything, but it did succeed in making him more curious.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

“Why did you tell me that the person you knew with my—our—condition was dead, the day I fell?”

Wonwoo and Junhui sat in the meeting room the following afternoon, polishing and cleaning the various silver decorations around the house and pieces of the chandeliers. The whole mystery with the letters and pictures bothered him, but not as much as the two of them sharing the same piece of crystal in them and not knowing anything about it. When Junhui arrived this morning, Wonwoo was putting on the last coat of plaster, and before he could do anything else to it, it had to dry overnight. So in the meantime, they did more cleaning.

The pair had been working in solitude for a while before Junhui asked him the question.

Wonwoo paused, inspecting the silver carafe still in his hand for a second before resuming the polishing. “Because I was talking about my father,” he answered, his voice tight, holding back. He paused for so long that Junhui thought he wouldn’t say anything else. Eventually, though, he did.

“His blood looks more like yours compared to mine. Redder.” Junhui must have seemed confused because he explained, “My people have tried to purify Taeseung’s descendants, I suppose you can say, by marrying each to a member of our clan. So if you do the math, I’m only... one-eighth human. Naturally, I’ll look more like them.”

“Your clan,” Junhui repeated slowly.

Sighing, Wonwoo nodded. Junhui knew he might be pushing his luck, but he had to try. After all, Wonwoo knew his past, Junhui could try to know his.

“The Alcaeus Clan: honor, discipline, and loyalty. We live for the Clan as much as the Clan lives in us. We might be demons, but we’re not savages. There are rules, and we follow them. Or we _should_ , at any rate,” he muttered. Dropping the carafe to the side, he picked up a candle holder and started the process again. “Over the years, our people have scattered all over the place, some of them were killed by humans,” he eyed him, and Junhui lowered his gaze. “That’s why we have to be more careful now, perfect our disguises, learn to shape shift for longer periods of time.”

“You mean... you don’t look like this?” he asked tentatively, staring at him.

Wonwoo actually laughed softly at that. “Don’t you remember your first night here? What I looked like outside?” Now Junhui blanched. “Exactly. I look like that most of the time, or I did before I came here. Full-blooded Alcaeusians are... less tamed. Bigger teeth and claws, with speed and strength. I’m sure your imagination can add more adjectives and they’d most likely be accurate.” Junhui swallowed, going back to cleaning the glass droplets from the chandelier they’d managed to undo from the frame earlier.

“Anyway,” he went on, “we tend to stay away from humans.”

“Why? I mean, you wouldn’t have any problems protecting yourselves.” Junhui couldn’t believe what he’d just suggested. He tried not to think about it.

“Obviously, but just because you’re capable of killing one or two ants, it doesn’t mean you’d want to try to kill millions of them. So we try to coexist in a way that would keep them away from us. Humans are vile creatures who would do anything to achieve their goals, even if it includes killing everyone and everything else for it. They create means to destroy one another until they can be supreme. Why would anyone want to live with that sort?”

“Not everyone is like that,” Junhui said, recognizing that human nature can sometimes be very cruel and unfair.

Stopping, Wonwoo looked up at him. “No, not all. If you don’t fall into that category, then you end up holding too many emotions, ones that make you weak, that cloud your mind from objectivity and fairness.”

Junhui swallowed, but he wasn’t ready to back down yet. “If the Alcaeusians hate humans so much, why did Taeseung marry Mikyung?”

Wonwoo’s jaw clenched as he gritted his teeth in order to not lash out at Junhui. Obviously this was a sensitive matter, but why? Because Mikyung presumably killed Taeseung? Wonwoo set the candle stick down and let out a breath. “Taeseung fell in love with her, and infatuated as he was, he became blind to the consequences that followed his actions.”

At that point, Junhui realized that Wonwoo wasn’t talking about just the murders anymore. He was referring to something much bigger than that, reaching more lives that the ones involved that evening in 1938.

“Taeseung was like a King back then, everyone looked up to him. The Clan had everything it ever needed, all because of him. People feared, but respected him, some even worshipped him. And then one day, he met Mikyung, and nothing else mattered anymore.” Wonwoo’s voice turned almost sad at this point. “For her, he destroyed everything. He left his home, his people, and his family. He ran away with her to Diamond Creek. He betrayed all of us for her, for his own selfish needs.”

“I’m sorry,” Junhui said, his voice very soft, unable to break the silence. Then he continued after a tense moment, “You said that people regarded him grandly, that he was responsible for taking care of them, but was he happy?” Wonwoo stared at him. “I know that you don’t value emotions the same way I do, but once a person gets a taste of what true happiness is, they can’t go back to the way they were. He couldn’t live for the sake of everyone except himself for all his life.”

Wonwoo didn’t respond right away. He genuinely seemed to give the younger’s words some thought, which Junhui appreciated. “Maybe you’re right; however, he had a duty. Moreover, searching for happiness doesn’t condone what he did, neither does it take away the crime that hung over his head, which eventually passed down to me.”

“What do you mean?”

“When he left, he wanted to make sure that no one would find them, that he and Mikyung would be safe. So he went to the Tarac River, the river that gives us its healing powers, and took away the magic Stones scattered over the river bed with him. Along the years, we’ve been able to find all but one.” Wonwoo looked up to meet his gaze evenly. “That’s why I’m in Diamond Creek. If I can’t find the last Stone soon, we won’t have any means to cure our sick or heal our injuries. A handful of innocent lives have already perished because of it. If this continues, we’ll all die. Then Taeseung will get what he wanted: the extinction of the Alcaeus Clan.”

Junhui was lost for words. He stared down at the glass in his hand, seeing the facets winking at him as light reflected off of them.

“Do you still think the pursuit of happiness is worth all that?” Wonwoo’s voice was softer than he expected. Not so much caustic and bitter, but rather genuine in trying to show him how wrong and dire the situation was. Even if Taeseung had merely wanted to find his happiness, he had put everyone in danger.

For a long time, Junhui remained quiet, not knowing how to compute all that Wonwoo told him. Mostly, he could hardly understand what had pushed Wonwoo into telling him so much, after all, this had to be very hard to divulge, especially to an outsider like him.

Wonwoo finished with the silver and moved on to unhook the chains holding the glass drops from the other chandelier in order to clean them. Junhui was halfway done with his portion, when he finally found something to ask.

“So then where do our crystals come in?” He figured leading the topic slowly back to the present might make Wonwoo feel better.

Unlike his previous replies where he seemed to be cautious in wanting to share them, this time, the short pause came from lack of certainty in his answer. He sounded less sure, missing the confidence he held earlier when retelling the history of the Clan.

“I was told that Taeseung and Mikyung went to seek help, and they got it through that crystal. It was meant to protect their child against the Clan and Taeseung’s own demonic nature. So that no matter what, the child would be protected even if they weren’t there.”

That confused Junhui, and his eyebrows furrowed. “If that’s the case, how come I have the same one? Was there more than one crystal?”

“No, they didn’t give Hwan the whole rock, so you probably got the unused half, while I inherited mine after each generation.”

“That’s... that’s pretty amazing,” he reflected, referring to such a coincidence that the crystal halves would reunite in through them in the house that started it all. But Junhui was also stunned by the measures Taeseung went through for his son.

“Yeah, I guess,” Wonwoo shrugged.

Glancing at him to gauge his reaction, Junhui said slowly, “I have one more question about Taeseung and Mikyung, then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“You’re already out of questions?” he wondered, a little surprised.

“Well… no. But I don’t want to make you uncomfortable with the topic,” Junhui answered softly, afraid he might lash out at him, accusing him of pitying him when he wasn’t at all.

“‘Uncomfortable’ isn’t the word I would have used,” he retorted. With a sigh and a shake of the head, he said, “Go ahead and ask.”

Chewing on his lower lip, Junhui formulated his words, all the while cheering a little on the inside for the small victory. “What exactly happened to them that night? I can’t believe that after all this,” he moved his hands around them, seeing again the happy faces forever frozen on photographs, “she could have even hurt him, much less kill him in cold blood.”

Wonwoo followed his gaze around the room, and sighed. “She didn’t kill him, not directly like everyone thinks,” he began. “To be fair, when she and Taeseung ran away, she left her life behind as well. That night, it caught up with her. I don’t know what went down between them, only that someone from her past found them. The reason she and Hwan weren’t hurt was because they weren’t home. She had taken him out of town, and when they came back it was too late. That’s why some people think she might have planned it, others say she knew, but she failed to warn him. No one knows for sure what happened. The details of how the Alcaeusians brought the baby back are lacking, and I don’t know the answer myself.”

“It couldn’t have been easy to learn about all this,” Junhui tried to sympathize.

Shrugging, he applied more cleaning agent to the rag and continued down the chain. “Easier than you might think. Taeseung and Mikyung’s tragic end was used to teach us what _not_ to do. People didn’t treat me any more special because of who I am.” His fingers lost their grip as he said that, and Junhui wondered silently why that was. He wanted to know more, but he knew his limits, so he changed the topic.

“How does Ms. Seo fit in all this then?”

“She’s not human, either,” Wonwoo told him, a little more at ease now that the subject veered away from him and his family history. “Her parents died when she was young, so she grew up sort of on the verge between the humans and ours. One day she just picked up and left. When I needed to look for the Stone, the Elders sought her help and she agreed to pose as my aunt.”

“Oh, I’d never think twice about her origin,” the younger mused. “She’s been in Diamond Creek for as long as I can remember.”

“She’s always kept to herself, so no one is the wiser.” He didn’t elaborate, and Junhui didn’t probe further.

With this much information gotten at once, he was already struggling to wrap his mind around it all. Besides, he didn’t want to push Wonwoo further down more turmoil. As much as he tried to hide it with anger, it had to hurt, even a little. Junhui had a family to rely on, while Wonwoo didn’t even have that if his confession about his mother was any indication. Junhui felt for him, but obviously he wasn’t ever going to let him know that. Wonwoo was the kind of person who would be repulsed by such gestures.

He was right after all; they did share a lot in common, more than Junhui could ever imagine. Even at just a glimpse, Wonwoo’s past was even more troubled than his. The weight of Taeseung’s actions now hung over Wonwoo’s shoulders, bearing the responsibility and consequences of a crime he never committed. An entire people depended on him to find this Stone.

When Wonwoo had mentioned his dad, Junhui’s heart had clenched. The reason Junhui didn’t speak about his father was because the pain still felt raw, the guilt too much to handle on his own. For Wonwoo, though, he had hardly even blinked when he mentioned his. Junhui supposed they weren’t that close. Or maybe, it was just easier if Wonwoo pretended that he didn’t feel anything.

Afterward, once the pair got the chandeliers cleaned, they went into the respective rooms to hang them up and test if all the little bulbs functioned. Since each chandelier weighed a ton, Junhui couldn’t grab one and just go on his merry way. Instead, he carried the extra bulbs and handed them to Wonwoo whenever needed one.

“So you’re leaving town as soon as you find the Stone?” Junhui asked as the pair looked up to check the bulbs.

“Yep,” he said. “No other reason to stay here.”

“What about the house?”

“What about it?”

“Are you just gonna leave it? You’re spending so much time fixing it up.”

He shrugged, noticing a dead bulb. “Hand me one,” he extended out his hand to grab it, then climbed on the ladder to make the switch. “The house gives me something to do so people won’t question my stay here. It doesn’t mean anything to me.”

“Not even a little bit?” The words came out before Junhui could stop them.

From the top of the ladder, Wonwoo stared down at him evenly. “It was Taeseung’s home. Not mine.”

Junhui nodded, getting the hint to back off. “Have you made any progress in the search?”

“Unfortunately, no.” Wonwoo turned off the light, and they proceeded to the next room. “Finding out about you got me sidetracked.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“I suppose that in hindsight,” he mused, “it was worth it. Without you, I probably wouldn’t have found out about what was going on inside me,” he replied wryly.

“What do you mean?” Junhui asked, confused.

“The Elders never really told me why my blood crystalizes. I always went on thinking it was because of my genetic makeup.”

That surprised him. “How did you figure it out then?”

“I met a witch in the woods,” he said easily.

“There’s a witch in the woods?”

Wonwoo laughed at his shock, stepping down from the ladder. “There’s a lot of things around you, not all of them make themselves visible.” Hearing that, Junhui shuddered, thinking of that strange humming yesterday when he was alone. Unconsciously, he shuffled a little closer to Wonwoo’s back.

Once all the chandeliers were hung and checked for, the pair put away the spare bulbs and ladder. Leaning on the cleaning supply room door, Junhui said in a low voice, “I’m not complaining, but what made you suddenly decide to let me know so much?”

Wonwoo turned around to face him. “I just thought you were entitled to know what’s made you who you are. I wish I had known instead of being left in the dark for so long.”

“Did they not know about it?” Junhui wondered, not able to come up with a reasonable answer as to why his Clan would keep such a secret from him if they knew.

“They did,” he said. “They were just afraid of something that ultimately happened.”

“Which was?”

“The crystal working again.” Junhui stared back at him, puzzled. “As you can imagine,” Wonwoo leaned in closer, his tone mocking. “Apart from protecting me from getting killed by own kind, that piece of crystal had no place in my society. So it stayed dormant for years, until you came along and woke it up.”

Junhui’s mouth opened, then closed. He wanted to say something, but nothing came to mind. Was that why Wonwoo’s aura felt so different? More... _normal_ than his usual self? Ever since Junhui had picked him up by the side of the road, he had seen Wonwoo change little by little.

“Now I feel more human than I ever did, or ever wanted to.” Wonwoo pulled away and walked down the hall, a sardonic smile stretching across his life.

Junhui had to run after him, playing catch-up with him and what he was telling him.

“Is it permanent?” he asked.

“I hope not,” Wonwoo scoffed, then as if remembering he was talking to Junhui, he softened his voice slightly. “I don’t know how to act human, because I’m not. And I don’t want to be.” The gentle tone disappeared, leaving behind his trademark irritation. “The sooner I get this mission done, the sooner we all get back to the lives we’ve had. Then I can finally get rid of all these feelings,” he muttered under his breath, making it sound like some filth he couldn’t wait to scrape off of himself.

Junhui wasn’t sure why, but this rubbed him the wrong way. “What’s so great about unfeeling?”

Abruptly, Wonwoo turned around, making him almost slam into his chest. “It keeps your head cool and your objectives clear,” he snapped. “It avoids unnecessary involvement.”

His dark eyes flashed anger, cold as steel. But Junhui didn’t back down. He wasn’t foolish, he knew that if Wonwoo wanted to, he could snap his neck in less time than Junhui could even react. Yet he faced him with his head held high. “No, it doesn’t,” he replied. “It only pushes people away, people who could offer help and comfort.”

“Oh, really,” Wonwoo smirked coldly. “How’s that working out for you, hm? The last time I checked, all your compassion couldn’t buy you acceptance into this town. So why bother?”

It felt like a slap to the face.

Upset, Junhui sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. He couldn’t meet Wonwoo’s mocking gaze, so he turned away and walked off.

Wonwoo hardly even moved as he stared after the younger’s back disappear down the hall.

It was only five, and Minghao wasn’t due to pick him up for another hour. That was plenty of time for him to walk from here to the garage and save his brother the trip.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sooooo... Wonu's great at fixing things, just not relationship womp womp womp... but then again, he didn't exactly grow up in the most loving environment either, so he gets a pass from me.
> 
> is the house really haunted? 👻👀
> 
> and yeah, IRL jun is probably not afraid of bugs, but if it's sudden enough, then he'll still startle, which i find funny (and cute) so there you go lol. 
> 
> i hope you enjoyed the chapter! as always, thank you very much for reading! see you next thrusday! :D  
> xoxoxo


	14. Black and White

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WonHui talk things out and come to a truce of sorts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,
> 
> So i know some of you got mad at Wonwoo for what happened last chapter, and i don't want to force you to feel a certain way, but please try to keep an open mind and put yourself in his shoes. This chapter should help, I hope... 
> 
> Anyway, there's a lot of WonHui, so that should make up for things, right? lol
> 
> -

 

 

_ July _

 

Help. He wanted to help? What can Saint Junhui do to help him? Nothing.

 _Snap_.

The sharp noise surprised him, and Wonwoo looked down, finding the hammer broken in two on the work bench. Annoyed that he’d managed to break something else within the hour, he rubbed the wood splinters away from his shirt. It was getting dark, and despite making himself come out here to get things done, he still hadn’t accomplished anything but break his tools.

The day had gone just fine; he and Junhui got work done, and Wonwoo humored him with the questions he came up with. Wonwoo didn’t blame him for wanting to know more. After all, Wonwoo had been on the edge of his sanity until he finally found out what was going on. It was only fair that he satisfied Junhui’s curiosity with the limited answers that he had.

But then Junhui couldn’t let things be. What did it matter to him whether Wonwoo stayed this way permanently or not? Junhui had to make it sound like being human and feeling emotions were such privileges, but what did the boy know? Wonwoo had witnessed firsthand how damaging letting one’s emotions influence his actions could be. Innocents had died because of it. His own people were still affected by the repercussions of one man’s actions made almost a hundred years ago.

Emotions and feelings caused nothing but trouble.

The way that Junhui needed to meddle into people’s business and “help” them had to be a curse, intensified by the piece of crystal in him.

The same piece of crystal that now required that Wonwoo feel guilty for snapping at him and for making that remark. Wonwoo realized belatedly that it hurt him. Greatly. Junhui had trusted him with the reason why he so desperately wanted to make amends, and Wonwoo jabbed his finger into that wound.

 _So what?_ his other half wanted to know. No one asked him to open his heart out. Getting his feelings hurt was merely a result of letting himself be so vulnerable, which reinforced Wonwoo’s point about emotions being nothing but bothersome. Moreover, it didn’t take a genius to figure out that the majority of the people Junhui helped took advantage of him. Why couldn’t the boy see it? Why did he have to try so much for people who weren’t worth his effort?

He had wanted to point out the truth to Junhui, but to do it in such a way to upset him, what did that make Wonwoo?

Despicable.

He could have worded it better… Junhui had a fragile soul, after all.

With a groan, Wonwoo slammed his hands on the bench, shaking everything on it. The jars nearby wobbled from the hit and spilled the loose screws and nails all over the surface. A few things fell on the ground, but he couldn’t care less.

This inner battle between both halves was going to drive him insane. With each passing day, the crystal was gaining more power, causing the beast to struggle even more against its restraints. Wonwoo wasn’t sure how long he could endure this constant fight within him.

His hand caught one of the knife scrapers, and he gripped it tightly. The plastic handle shattered into pieces, and the metal sheet bit into his palm. After a second, he released the lump, watching the crumpled sheet roll lopsidedly. Turning his hand over, he stared at the blood trickling out of the cuts. A few drops fell onto the bench, while the rest began to solidify. He winced as the crystals formed, tearing at his skin and muscles. After a couple minutes, the flow stopped, and he went inside to find a lemon.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

Sharp and insistent knocking woke Junhui up in the middle of the night. Managing to crack his eyes open, he glanced blearily over at his alarm clock. The blue lights read fifteen to three. Within those few seconds of semiconsciousness, he pondered the possibility that the noise came from a branch tapping against his window due to a strong gust of wind. He yawned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. Now that he listened, though, the knocking was very rhythmic and defined, not at all resembling a branch brushing against glass.

He sat up, eyes round with alertness.

Because his room faced eastward, he usually closed his blinds at night to avoid getting blinded by the early morning sunlight. Glancing over the frame now, he couldn’t see anything behind it to help him identify the source of the knocking, which seemed to be getting more insistent the longer he stalled.

His hands trembled as he searched his room for some kind of defensive weapon. Just because he took martial arts lessons as a kid didn’t mean that he was willing to fight whatever creature tried to break into his room. Finding nothing, Junhui grabbed the giant tiger plushie that Soonyoung gave him last Christmas off of his bed. It was huge and heavy, hopefully substantial enough to distract the intruder long enough for Junhui to run out and alert Minghao and Hyejin. (He’ll just have to apologize to Soonyoung later for feeding his tiger to the metaphorical wolf).

Gripping the tiger in front of him like a shield, he treaded cautiously over to the other side of the room. His heart speed increased with every step he took, until it felt like it could leap out of his chest and fly away. Inhaling deeply, he pulled on the string to open the blinds.

Junhui jumped back, a hand over his mouth to muffle the yelp. A flurry of emotions washed over his body, and he slumped against the dresser, holding the plush to his chest as he tried not to pass out. The adrenaline still coursed through his veins, worsening the trembles in his limbs, but he held on as best as he could for someone in his situation. For a split second, he wondered if he was having a nightmare, but when he peeked over the head of the tiger, he sucked in a breath.

_Nope. Definitely not dreaming._

Sitting on the roof, Wonwoo peered at him through the glass pane. His eyes shone bright in the darkness despite the shadow that fell over his face and body. A sudden memory of him beside the Jeon House flitted through Junhui’s mind, and he shuddered. Wonwoo didn’t look as terrifying now as he did that first night, but that might just be because blood didn’t drip from his face and teeth at the moment. _That_ would have sent Junhui into a blackout. Or screamed loud enough to wake up the entire house.

Slowly regaining his breath and heart rate, Junhui walked up to the window and undid the latch. The warm summer air rushed in.

Wonwoo’s eyes flickered downward for a second. “Nice weapon.”

“Huh?” Junhui followed his gaze, cheeks flushing. He threw the plush back on his bed. “What are you doing here?” he whispered instead, looking around to make sure no one saw them. It was three in the morning, but he could never be sure.

“I have to talk to you,” Wonwoo said.

“Now? It couldn’t wait until morning?” His car wasn’t in the driveway, which meant he must have come here on foot. Did Wonwoo go for a morning jog when he remembered that he _had_ to talk to him? What was so pressing?

“It is morning,” he retorted. “Can I come in?”

The seriousness of his expression made Junhui nod and step back for him to jump in. The younger closed the window behind him. For a moment, he estimated the height of the second floor and the distance from the roof to the nearest tree branch. _How the heck did he even get up here?_

Wonwoo glanced around the room briefly, noticing the very boring and small room. There was just the basic comforts of home: a bed, a desk, a dresser, and some shelves. Junhui went to sit on his bed, hugging his black cat plushie to his chest, and waited for what was to come.

Junhui hadn’t told Hyejin or Minghao what happened at the house earlier today. If he did, he would’ve had to give them a context from which the argument had arisen. And he couldn’t do that. Obviously, when he arrived at the garage a few minutes before closing time, Minghao had some questions for his brother. The latter had told him that Wonwoo had to go pick up materials, so he let him out early; Junhui didn’t call him because he figured he’d make it down to his workplace before Minghao left. In the end, Junhui had a perfectly good explanation, and Minghao didn’t question him.

Initially, Junhui was upset with Wonwoo for what he had said. But along the walk down the hill, he calmed down and realized that Wonwoo was right. It was the truth, and the truth hurts. Despite all the bullying and glares, he enjoyed helping out. Deep down, he did consider the possibility Diamond Creek would never truly accept him, no matter how much he worked. That wasn’t going to change who Junhui was, though, or the fact that he’ll probably keep doing what he did until the day he died. As such, it also meant that Wonwoo was who he was. Just as Junhui got mad when the older questioned his life choices, Wonwoo probably got pissed at him for disputing his.

With measured steps, Wonwoo lowered himself on the carpet in front of him now. He looked up with a strange expression, one Junhui couldn’t decipher in the hazy darkness. He couldn’t risk turning on the lamp, so the only way he could even see him was thanks to the porch lights filtering in.

Wonwoo breathed in, then said, “I’m sorry for what I said to you.” He made a face, displeasure apparent. “I shouldn’t have… worded it that way.”

Talk about a shocker. Junhui sat there, blinking, stunned.

Undeterred by his companion’s lack of proper response, Wonwoo continued, “None of this is your fault, and I shouldn’t take out my anger on you.” He flashed a wry smile. “You were just unlucky enough to get thrown into this with me.”

Junhui opened his mouth to talk, but he didn’t know what to say. “It’s… It’s okay.”

The older leveled him a look, and he gathered it was probably not the best response. He shut up, hugging his cat tighter.

After a second composing his thoughts, Wonwoo went on, “It’s not okay. It’s my own problem.” He sighed. “Finding out about you and the crystal pieces has somewhat shaken my trust toward the Elders of my Clan. By hiding those facts away from me, they have twisted my family’s history into what they wanted. I still have no idea why they would do that, neither do I know if they lied about anything else about me. Those things alone had kept me awake at night, frustrating me in the day, on top of failing miserably at finding the healing Stone.” He laughed dryly.

“Like I’ve told you,” he met the younger’s gaze, “the Crystal is working again, and it’s gaining more power everyday. Can you imagine how it feels like to have good and evil battle each other inside of one body?” His question didn’t come across as sarcastic, but it sounded like he wanted Junhui to really imagine the fight raging in him.

“You’re not evil,” Junhui said with confidence, breaking the silence of the night with his whisper. Jeon Wonwoo might be the coldest and most unapproachable person on the planet when he put his mind to it, but he couldn’t be evil. 

Junhui saw the corner of his mouth tugging into a crooked smile. “But I’m not a saint, either,” he answered softly. “You have no idea how many times I had thought about getting rid of you.”

“Why?” Junhui mouthed, without any sound coming out. His hands and feet felt frozen.

“You are the reason for all this turmoil and chaos inside me. You shook the foundation that has built my entire life until now. I _hated_ you for it,” Wonwoo enunciated for him to understand.

“Then why haven’t you?” he asked, the fear slowly creeping up his spine. Logically, he should throw the tiger at Wonwoo and make a run for it. And yet he still sat there, talking to him as if the other hadn’t just admitted to wanting to kill him.

Wonwoo cracked a smile. “The crystals wouldn’t let me.”

“So it just bottled up, without any release?” Junhui could hardly imagine someone holding that much aggravation inside for long before they exploded. “How did you get over it?” Then a chill ran down hisbody, and his eyes widened. “ _Are_ you over it?”

His white teeth gleamed in the dark as Wonwoo grinned at him. “More or less.” Junhui swallowed, feeling his heart pumping harder. Wonwoo’s eyes moved from his face to his chest, noticing the pounding under the shirt. Hiding his smirk, Wonwoo looked back into the younger’s eyes. “If we can avoid getting ourselves into the same situation as yesterday, it’ll be a lot easier to control.”

Junhui nodded, understanding. If they could find a way to stay in the gray area, neither too good nor too heartless, then Wonwoo wouldn’t have to fight with himself so much. “Okay.”

After another heartbeat, Wonwoo said softly, “Listen, I know you want to help, but there isn’t anything you can do.”

Initially, Junhui agreed. What did he know of this magical Stone that could save the healing river, but then something came to mind. He sat up straighter. “Didn’t you mention that you didn’t know all there is to your past?” he asked, and the other nodded, a little unsure. “Then tell me, does the word “claire” mean anything to you?”

“Claire,” he repeated, “Like the name?”

“Yeah.”

His eyebrows pulled together as he thought, concentrating on everything he could. Eventually, he shook his head slowly. “No, why?”

“On Monday, I was cleaning the parlor. I found some hidden letters in a few pictures. When I put the letters together, they spelled out ‘claire.’ After some more poking around, I figured out that the same letters arranged in a different order spell out ‘a relic.’” He paused, letting it sink in. “And considering our situation...” The sentence hung in the air. “So you might not think that the house belongs to you, but it may contain some answers about your past!”

Cocking his head to the side, Wonwoo watched him, an amused expression on his face. “You got all that from cleaning?”

Junhui smiled sheepishly. “I guess I have a knack for puzzles.”

He let out a small chuckle. “Mm. I see.”

Now that neither one of them was talking, Junhui became very aware of his clothes and hair. He liked to sleep comfortably, which meant that he favored old, worn-out clothes. Thank goodness he actually wore something other than his undies tonight. But still, boxer shorts and an oversized old t-shirt shirt was not something you entertained a guest in. As discreetly as possible, he pulled on his comforter to try to hide what he could. Although by now, it wasn’t like Wonwoo could _unsee_ him.

His move wasn’t as subtle as he had hoped, and Wonwoo noticed. Maybe if Junhui hadn’t moved at all, Wonwoo wouldn’t have taken a closer look at what he was doing. _Oh geez_.

Trying not to laugh, Wonwoo glanced at the alarm clock. It was almost three-thirty. _Geez_. How did they talk for so long?

“I apologize for waking you up and keeping you awake,” he said. “But I couldn’t sleep, and I had to let you know that I’m not purposely being an ass.”

Maybe it was the late hour, or the oddity of Jeon Wonwoo sneaking into his room to apologize, but Junhui found himself giggling. “Thank you, but you didn’t have to.” Maybe it was all those factors that loosened his tongue. “Jaehyun can be much worse, and I don’t come home crying about it every time.”

“Jaehyun?” Wonwoo echoed, a little lost.

Realizing what he’d just admitted, Junhui shook his head and waved his hands. “Oh, never mind. It’s nothing.”

But Wonwoo insisted, brows knitting together. “Who’s Jaehyun?”

Unable to deter him, Junhui squirmed as he answered, “Park Jaehyun.” He lowered his gaze onto the top of the black cat, playing with its ears. He waited to see if he’d catch on. It merely took him a second to recall the name.

“Dr. Park Minji.”

“Oh! You remembered!” He put as much cheerfulness into his voice, but gauging by the unimpressed look Wonwoo gave him, it didn’t work. He sighed. “She was Jaehyun’s mom. I’m sure you can understand how his remarks can sting more.”

Wonwoo stayed quiet for a moment. “Has he ever tried to get even?”

“No more than the usual bullies,” he laughed it off.

His companion didn’t share the sentiment, voice flat. “What does that mean?”

Junhui shrugged. “When we were kids, he’d pick on me during recess, call me and Soonyoung names, sometimes he’d create a fuss in the cafeteria so that I’d drop my tray and then applaud. Petty stuff. Having Minghao around kept him from doing much else. It got less frequent in high school since we didn’t have that many classes together. And, um...” His mind wandered off, bringing back the images of that particular day in the parking lot, like a bad video repeating over and over one scene.

“Junhui.”

Blinking, he glanced down at Wonwoo. He laughed, but it sounded empty even to his own ears. “Sorry, I was just...”

Staring at him intently, Wonwoo repeated his earlier question, probably reading the expression on the younger’s face as plain as day, “Has he ever tried to get even?”

With a sigh, Junhui started, “I don’t know if you’d call it even but there was… one time. It was winter, senior year. Soonyoung and I stayed at the school library until closing to study for our exams. He offered me a ride home with his mom, but Minghao was already on his way, so I waited in the parking lot. Being winter, even though it was only five in the afternoon, the skies had turned dark, so I found a spot under a campus light.” He shifted his weight.

“Till this day, I’m not sure where Jaehyun even came from. But uh... As I sat there, he moved from the lawn and crossed the square, heading for the parking lot. Once he got closer, I realized that he wasn’t acting normally, getting tangled in his own feet and leaning on walls and planters. I don’t know if he was drunk or high or whatever, but it was best not to engage. So I tried to sit quietly and hoped that he would just go away without knowing that I was there.

“He tripped a few times on the way to where I sat. Then he stopped and stared at me. He jabbed his finger into my face and shouted, ‘Wen Junhui. All alone on a winter’s night. You better get used to it, because murderers like you don’t deserve happiness! It wasn’t enough that you dragged my town into the dirt, you killed my mother and your own father! Your birthmother probably knew you were a freak the moment you were born, and she couldn’t stand to stay around your filthy presence. That’s why she left you!’” A wet laugh slipped past Junhui’s lips as he sucked in a breath and ran a hand through his bedhead.

He cleared his throat and continued, “I got up to leave, but he grabbed my arm and shoved me against the wall. Hard enough that my head smacked against the cement. By the time I could blink my eyes open, he’d already left. It took days before the bump on my head went down.” Laughing, he felt the spot.

Wonwoo was so quiet, Junhui realized that he couldn’t even hear him breathing. He glanced at him in a panic, about to ask him if he was okay. The words died mid-breath when he noticed Wonwoo’s knuckles turning white as the older fisted his hands on top of his knees. His jaw clamped tightly, he tried to grit his teeth and speak in an even tone, “And no one did anything about it?”

The first two words Wonwoo had used to describe the Alcaeus Clan were honor and discipline. Jaehyun had neither of the two, while Wonwoo was raised to follow nothing but honor, discipline and loyalty. No wonder he was turning livid. Now _he_ scared Junhui. Angering a demon when you were alone in your bedroom with him was not the smartest thing to do.

“Wonwoo,” Junhui called softly, trying anything to calm him down. “Are you okay?”

“No,” he spit out so viciously, it startled the younger. “His kind shouldn’t be allowed to live for this long.” The venom and sheer conviction caused goosebumps to rise on Junhui’s skin. His fists clenched and unclenched as he made himself relax. “Going after someone weaker should never be acceptable,” he scoffed. “What kind of man does that?”

“He has a good reason, though.”

Wonwoo glared at him, and Junhui recoiled. “Don’t tell me you think you deserved that.”

Averting his eyes, Junhui fidgeted with the doll in his hands.

“How is he toward you nowadays?”

Junhui shrugged, glad they were moving on. “Lewd remarks, nasty comments, trashing my bike.” Then he paused, thinking whether he should tell Wonwoo about what Jaehyun had said at the ice cream parlor.

When Junhui chewed his bottom lip and looked up, Wonwoo asked, “What?”

“Just... Don’t do anything rash, okay? You might leave in a few weeks or months, but my family and I have to stay here.” After he said this, a flicker of something flew past Wonwoo’s eyes. It was too fast for him to catch it or understand what it meant. So he waited until Wonwoo nodded to recount the conversation.

“So the moron thinks he can just scare me away?” Wonwoo scoffed with a laugh. “He hasn’t seen anything yet.”

“Wonwoo, please.” The words rolled off his tongue.

Studying him with a peculiar expression, the same gaze that Junhui couldn’t look away from trapped him in place. Wonwoo asked softly, “Why are you so afraid of him?”

“You might think that he’s just a coward, but I know how nasty he can be. If he was ready to burn down your house when you didn’t do anything personal to him, I can only imagine what he would do to me and my family if I tried to go against him. Plus, his uncle is the mayor. What if he does something to my mom or Hao because of me?”

Shaking his head, Wonwoo sighed. “Well, let’s hope for his sake that he doesn’t do anything else stupid, or he won’t be seeing his next birthday.”

Junhui blanched. “You... would?”

“If he messes with me, I would.” And Junhui had no doubt Wonwoo would keep his word. Crystal or not, no one could mess with Wonwoo and not regret it. He just hoped that no one will fall in the line of fire.

 

Stumbling down the stairs into the kitchen the next morning, Junhui noticed Minghao at the island, eating his breakfast and reading the news. Even freshly out of the shower, Junhui still wasn’t completely awake. After Wonwoo left last night, er.. earlier this morning, he had only managed to get a couple choppy hours of sleep before giving up and getting out of bed. Like a zombie, he made a beeline for the counter and poured out some coffee, added some sugar and got the milk out of the fridge.

“Ouch,” Minghao put his phone down. “Did you stay up all night playing games or something?”

“Or something, yeah,” he grumbled before drinking the nectar of the gods.

His brother chuckled. “Well, sorry to make your morning suck even more, but I have to leave in fifteen minutes.” Behind him, the clock on the stove read 8:02. “If you want a ride into town, hurry up. I might be able to drop you off at the Jeon House later in the day.”

Junhui grumbled some more. “Why are you leaving so early?”

“It’s summer. People want to have their cars checked before leaving on long vacation trips. Plus I need some parts in Clemester.”

Sighing, Junhui put his mug on the island next to him. “Fine. Can you pour this into a traveling mug for me? And pack me some cereal bars? I’ll go change.”

Minghao said something, but the younger already sprinted up the stairs so he didn’t hear him. As quickly as he could, he got dressed and made himself presentable to the public. By the time he headed downstairs, Minghao had already started the engine. Junhui slipped on his shoes and ran out.

Thanks to the coffee, he was more or less awake when they got to the garage. However, seeing the first person there, Junhui wished he was still semi-unconscious. Minghao parked the car in his usual spot and got out. Hana, in her usual miniskirt and tight tank top, slid down the front of her car and sauntered toward his brother.

As if possessed, they wrapped themselves around each other, making gooey faces at each other, whispering and laughing. Junhui tried not to barf as he undid his seatbelt and stepped down. He moved past them and unlocked the building without either one noticing. Actually, the whole building could’ve exploded and they would still be stuck together. _Blah!_ He had to leave before they started making out or something.

Their relationship had always seemed so physical, without the least bit of conversation like normal people. When they were together, they hardly talked. They either did _that_ , or they completely ignored each other. In retrospect, it was much better now. In the first few weeks they started dating, they were practically joined at the hip. At least one body part had to be touching the other person’s. During that period, they made everyone feel awkward and uncomfortable standing in their proximity. Especially Mingyu, who sulked because he had seemingly lost his best friend overnight.

Junhui knew that sometimes a person could totally lose themselves when they were with their significant other, but his brother seemed to change into an entire new person whenever Hana was around. The whole thing unnerved him, and it still did to this day, no matter how many times he saw them together. It was like this carnal and lustful _thing_ , which was so unlike Minghao, it was freaky.

Junhui shuddered, moving behind his brother’s desk and settling down. He looked around, playing with the little frog and doggie figurines his brother kept next to his picture frames. As he looked at the familiar shots of Minghao and Mingyu over the years, Junhui saw an old picture of Hyejin, Minghao and him camping when they were in middle school among them and giggled at their younger selves. As he kept messing around his brother’s desk, he noticed something odd. Not one of them contained shots of him and Hana. To make it even more strange, there was an empty frame next to the monitor. Curious, Junhui picked it up. It was just a wooden frame. Weird. Placing it back where he found it, he glanced around him at the small room.

On the way here, Minghao had said that as far as he knew, he had an opening at ten, so he could try to drive Junhui up Serenity hill, go pick up parts in Clemester, and be back on time for the eleven thirty appointment. During busy seasons, people who came for oil changes, comprehensive checkups, and anything that required them to come on their own accord had to make appointments so that Minghao could determine which mechanics did what, and which were free to work on wrecks, etc.

The “office” also served as the waiting area, the kitchen, and the paying booth. Naturally, with everyone being so busy, not even Mingyu and Minghao could keep up with the cleaning; the place was a mess. There were coffee rings on just about every surface, folders and papers laying all over the little booth and Minghao’s desk. From his seat, he thought he even spotted a check sticking out of the first drawer where they kept the money. He shook his head. The official workday didn’t start for another forty-five minutes, and the rest of the mechanics were due soon. Since he had time to kill, he might as well tidy up a little before they accidentally threw away money in one of their haphazard attempts at cleaning. (Either that or Mingyu got a stroke from seeing the piles of trash accumulating in the corner.)

As Junhui suspected, the “money” drawer had more than money inside. There were receipts and invoices, along with a couple packets of ketchup from the diner down the street and some chopsticks. It wasn’t that they didn’t know how to organize their things. The space between the desk and the counter was used to store several binders and folders with labels, courtesy of Mingyu, no doubt. Sorting out the different documents, Junhui stuck them into the respective binders and folders. Next he dug through the drawers, throwing all the trash away, and clipping together all the checks.

The chain fence of the back lot clanged and rumbled, letting him know that Minghao’s friends were coming in to work. He was attacking their kitchen counter when the door separating the office and the shop opened.

“Hey, Jellybeans! No haunted house today?” Mingyu joked, holding a Starbucks in one hand and a box of donuts in the other.

“Hey,” Junhui smiled. “No, I’ll go later. Just thought I’d give a hand straightening things out in here.”

He laughed, pulling out a chair. “You are a blessing, Moon Jun. I really need to take a day to deep clean this mess.” Wrinkling his nose, he eyed the disaster.

“I hope you guys don’t keep the shop looking like this.”

“Nah,” he bit into a sprinkled donut. “We do our best work out there.” Not able to sit still for more than a few seconds, he swung around in his chair, pushing it toward the huge calendar on the wall with his feet instead of standing up and walking over. “Man! Triple-booked today.” He gulped down his coffee, and moved out to the shop. “See you later, Jun. And thanks for helping out!”

The door swung open again, and Marcus came in, passing by Mingyu with a cheerful greeting. With blond shaggy hair and a laid back attitude, he was the typical beach bum. Apparently, there were only two spots someone could find him: either here, or the beach in Camilla.

“’Sup, Junhui!” he called out, walking to the calendar to check his duties.

“Hey, Marcus,” the younger replied, stuffing the receipts for paint into a pile.

He heard the other’s feet shuffle, and when he turned back, Marcus was inspecting the counter, as if seeing it for the first time.

“I almost forgot what color this thing was,” he chuckled, running a hand over the black surface. Rolling his eyes, Junhui let out a laugh. “I hope Minghao’s paying you to do this, kid,” he told him.

“To do what?” Minghao walked through the front door.

“Dude,” Marcus hit Minghao's shoulder with the back of his hand, pointing toward the counter. “For some reason, I totally thought this was white. Did you buy another one to replace the old one or something?”

Cocking an eyebrow toward Marcus, he glanced at his brother briefly before shaking his head slowly. “No. It’s the same one. You might want to stay away from the sun for a while.”

“No way!” Marcus refused. “You only live once, might as well enjoy your life.”

“Okay,” Minghao agreed sarcastically. “In the meantime, Mrs. Cruz pulled up for her oil change.”

“Oh, shoot!” He ran out the door.

“So,” Minghao addressed his brother, taking in what the latter had done to the room. “When Gyu said you found something to entertain yourself with, I didn’t think this is what he meant.”

Junhui gave him a look. “Only you and Mingyu would find happiness in cleaning.” Minghao laughed. “We do make a good pair.”

“You do,” Junhui agreed wholeheartedly. Someone moved outside the window, catching his attention, and prompted him to ask. “Why was Hana here so early?”

“Hmm?” Minghao was reading a few pages ahead of the calendar. “Oh, Hana.” Junhui stared at him, surprised he already seemed to have forgotten that intense cuddling session just a few minutes earlier. “Her maintenance light came on last night, so she brought the car in.”

“Is that why you had to come early?”

“No.” He went over to the binders Junhui had just organized and looked through one. “I actually thought I’d have to come early to clean up this mess before I could find the invoice for my pick up.” Finding what he was looking for, he retrieved the sheet and snapped the rings closed. “Thanks to you, I no longer need to.” He grinned.

“You’re welcome. Just buy me some hotpot from Clemester, and we’ll be even.”

“Deal. Stay out of trouble,” he kid as he headed for the shop. Junhui stuck his tongue out at him.

The tidying up took less time than he expected because by the time he was done, it still wasn’t time to go. A glance through the windows showed two cars parked in the shop, while a third one was in the back lot, the owner talking to Mingyu, gesturing around the vehicle. Without anything else better to do, Junhui sat behind Minghao’s computer and pulled up the game Jihoon had mentioned to him before to pass the time.

He was in the middle of a third round when the front door opened, and he glanced up. Out of all people, Cho Hana walked in, the same snotty expression she’s perfected since middle school on her face.

Without looking at her, Junhui said, “Hao’s in the shop.”

“I know,” she replied. Some would consider her raspy voice sexy. He just thought it sounded like she’s had one too many cigarettes. “I came in to pay.”

Arching an eyebrow, he paused the game. “Hao charges you?”

“Well, I’m not a charity case! I have the means to pay.”

 _Sheesh_. _No need to bite my head_ , he thought. Standing up, Junhui walked over to the booth, going through the list posted there for the price of each service. “Did he just do a comprehensive checkup?” he asked.

“Yeah,” she nodded, pushing her credit card forward. He swiped it and printed out the receipt for her. “Thanks.”

“Have a nice day!” He turned around to get back to his game. Only he heard her heels click on the tiles as she followed him back to the desk and took a seat on the other side.

He stared back at her, confusion evident.

“So have you had a chance to review my entry?” It took him a full second before he understood what she was talking about.

“Oh, for the talent contest,” he said, and she nodded. “Yeah, Soonyoung should’ve already let you know the information.”

“He did, but I wanted to ask some questions about the competition.”

“Okay,” he agreed a little reluctantly, feeling utterly weird about this whole situation. Timidly, he flickered his gaze out the window to see if someone could see him and come inside to intervene. Over the past years, he and Hana hadn’t spoken for more than a minute, if even that. Despite the years knowing each other, they had no dynamic. Except maybe mutually ignoring each other. Also the fact that Junhui was (not so) secretly rather scared of her probably played a big role.

“Who else is in it?” she wanted to know.

“Uh, I don’t have the complete list, but I know Chad and Janet are in, Bernie and his band, Siwon’s band, someone else is singing, I think. Umm,” he tried to remember, “And some guy doing archery.”

“That’s all?” He wasn’t sure if she was surprised there were only a handful of contestants, or if she was glad the pool was so small.

He shrugged, fidgeting with the mouse pad. “I guess. They didn’t mention anyone else joining or dropping out, but the sign-ups are still open, so who knows.”

Hana took a second to think about something, her eyes lowered. Then she looked up, asking, “Do you know the order we’ll be going in?”

“No,” he answered slowly, wondering why she was so intense about this. “Either Chan or Hansol is in charge of that.”

Her face fell, disappointed. “What about the stage and the seating area. How big is it?”

Again, Junhui stared at her in puzzlement. Perhaps her next question would be whether this will be televised. If she thought she was so good as to need _everyone_ to see her sing, she should’ve signed up for one of the gazillion singing competitions on tv instead of their little fair. Obviously, he didn’t say any of that out loud.

He just responded with, “It’s probably not gonna be much different from the previous years. They’re still building everything at the moment, so I don’t know the exact number of seats.”

Cutting her eyes at him, she let out a heavy sigh in exasperation due to his evident ignorance of the matter. “Well, thank you anyway.” She stood up, pushing her chair in and walked out.

He breathed in relief, draping himself on the table. He didn’t know what to make of that encounter. This day was just getting weirder by the hour. First, Wonwoo showed at his window at three in the morning for a heart to heart conversation, then Minghao decided to go to work an hour early forcing him to come along and sit here. Now Hana came in to ask him about the talent show. Maybe this was all a dream, he decided, going back to his game. Now to make it perfect, Jaehyun would show up and blame him for everything that had gone wrong in his life. With a sigh, Junhui quit the game and buried his head into his arms. Maybe he could nap.

But his mind kept playing back his latest conversations with Wonwoo. He still had difficulty wrapping his mind around what the older had told him over the past couple days. And Ms. Seo being a demon. Never saw that one coming, either. Junhui wondered idly if he should let Hyejin know, but then decided against it.

To think that for the past two and a half weeks, he’d been flirting with disaster. With _death,_ would be more accurate. If he hadn’t figured it out by now, then last night Wonwoo had made it abundantly clear. Junhui could have been killed many many times over, and he never even knew it. Objectively, he knew for certain that Wonwoo was capable of it, considering that was exactly what he’d threaten to do to Junhui on that very first night, if Junhui decided to let his secret run rampant.

However, as the two had continued to work together and even gotten a bit closer (as Junhui would like to believe), Wonwoo had shown no indication of where his mind had gone, or how dark of a place it was. Junhui knew he was oblivious about most things, but this probably took the cake. Like he told himself on the first day, though, if he can keep from crossing over Wonwoo’s boundaries, he’ll be safe. Relatively. Besides, Wonwoo did say that the “good” side was gaining more strength everyday. As long as the demon in him didn’t get provoked, everything should be okay.

Somewhere, the more reasonable part of his brain wondered why he didn’t just cut his losses and say goodbye to anything related to the Jeons. Really, that house probably contained even more secrets than anyone would know, and Wonwoo had just admitted to wanting to kill him. Was he insane to want to stay with him? Probably. Soonyoung would call him a masochist, but he tried to think of neither his best friend’s colorful vocabulary nor the validity of such a claim.

If he had to think of a reason then after Junhui had discovered those hidden letters, the house became all the more intriguing to him. Moreover, not even Wonwoo knew everything about himself and his past. Maybe if the two of them searched deeper, they might find the answers that Wonwoo was looking for. And maybe, just maybe, Junhui could know more about this Crystal inside of him, too. Until now, he hadn’t given it too much thought. But recently, it was all he could think about. The crystal and Wonwoo.

Wonwoo’s world wasn’t the only one that got shaken up. So did Junhui’s. His life had gone from relatively normal to being connected to a demon by some unknown Crystal. Even though it wasn’t exactly his business, he wanted to know more about Taeseung and Mikyung, and what really happened to them. Before Wonwoo arrived, the Jeons had merely been names in a scary story, the one that Diamond Creek was known for. Now that Junhui had been in their home, and seen snapshots of their lives, they weren’t just faceless names any longer. They were people. And in Mikyung’s case, someone who died before justice could save her. Even if they had no idea about it, it was thanks to the Jeons that Junhui was even alive today. If they hadn’t gone to get this protective gem for their child, Junhui wouldn’t have survived ten years ago.

Since the day Wonwoo explained its origin, Junhui realized that he owed them. By figuring out what happened to them and perhaps uncovering who the real murderer was, he might be able to free their souls.

His head still inside his arms, he heard one of the doors opening and closing, with low chatter about whatever got done to the car. He recognized Mingyu’s voice right away, followed by the usual _Ouch!_ as he bumped into yet another obstacle. Junhui tried to ignore his and the customer’s conversation, pulling his arms tighter around his head. He still wanted to nap.

“Let me give you a copy of the invoice. I just need to find the forms and print it out. Just a second.” Mingyu hit a few keys, some mouse clicking, drawers opening and closing, almost frantically now. “Crap,” he muttered under his breath. “Jun. Moon Jun!” he called louder the second time.

“What?” the boy groaned, slowly opening his eyes, and pouted. In the haze, he could only see two male figures, probably the guy outside earlier talking about his truck.

“Do you know where the invoice forms are?” Mingyu asked.

Rubbing his eyes and pushing the hair out of his face, he replied, “Third drawer on the left. You made the labels, remember?” Then he leaned back in the chair and stared at the ceiling, waiting for his eyes to clear the colored dots from his vision.

“Thanks,” Mingyu told him, which was followed by the sound of the printer working. He pulled the sheet out and pushed it toward the customer. “Please sign here. Thank you. And here you go.” The tearing of the carbon copy sealed the deal.

The ceiling looked sharp and clear now, so Junhui sat up, seeing both of them. Mingyu glanced over the binders, locating the correct one and shoved the receipt in. While he did that, Wonwoo shut his wallet and put it away. Momentarily, Junhui wondered why he was here, then he remembered about his truck. Mingyu closed the binder, wished Wonwoo a good day, and went back to work. Striding toward the back of the office where Junhui sat, Wonwoo arched a brow.

“You’re skipping out on me?” The corner of his mouth quirked upward just enough to hint at a grin.

Chuckling, the younger shook his head. “Just dependent on rides to get places.” He checked the time. “Hao is supposed to take me up soon.” They both glanced out the window, seeing Minghao slide under a black SUV. “Or not,” he added.

“If I’d known you were here,” Wonwoo said, “I would’ve asked you to drive the truck up for me. It would have saved me from doing it.”

Incredulous, he asked, “You would have let me drive your truck? That thing probably costs more than my college tuition.”

He let out a small laugh. “At the speed you’re driving, the chances of you getting into an accident are zero to none.”

“Hey!” Junhui pouted, then thought of something. “Wait, how are you gonna drive it?”

Puzzled, Wonwoo stared at him blankly. “Put the key in, turn the ignition—”

“No no no.” He shook his head. “I mean, didn’t you drive down here? How are you gonna take both cars up?”

“I walked here,” he explained.

“Oh. From the house?” He nodded, and Junhui paused, assessing him. He didn’t look like he just hiked down Serenity Hill and walked into town. When Junhui did the same thing, it took him over an hour, and he had practically collapsed into the nearest chair by the time he got here. That didn’t seem to be the case for Wonwoo now. Demonic genes really were something.

Minghao entered the room then, and the older boys exchanged a nod to acknowledge each other. “Looks like you won’t need a ride from me this morning,” Minghao said as he went to wash his hands.

Junhui turned to Wonwoo, and the latter shrugged.

“Are you going to Clemester now, then?” he asked. Minghao dried his hands and walked to his desk, grabbing the keys laying there.

“Yep. See ya.”

“Bye.”

After Minghao was gone, Wonwoo noted, “Let me guess. He knows that I know about your condition.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “Why?”

“That explains why he’s so vigilant around me, which he should, but it’s different. Regular people like the guys working here are nervous when I’m around because they feel that there’s something off about me—the usual response I get. Then there’s the aversion, but obvious disdain shown by Frank Hirshi and the sort. I scare you,” he looked down at him, “because you know what I am. But he,” Wonwoo gestured outside where Minghao was pulling out into traffic, “sees me as a threat. Kind of like how a guard dog watches you.”

“He’s just used to looking out for his younger brother,” Junhui said with a shrug.

“I know,” his voice turned softer. “I just don’t see it often.”

This was the second comment Wonwoo had made about Junhui’s family. The first was when Hyejin insisted on him staying at their house for one night. Junhui had apologized for the way Wonwoo almost didn’t have a choice in the matter because of her tendency to act motherly toward everyone. ‘ _Sometimes it’s nice to have a mother who acts like one,’_ he had said. Considering what he divulged about his mother, Junhui eventually understood why he had made that comment. And now he was speaking about Minghao’s protective instincts in that same tone. What was the story there? It was those little things that made Junhui feel for him without any logical reason. If Wonwoo didn’t complain about it, Junhui didn’t even have a standing in feeling bad for him. Yet...

If Wonwoo had never received such tenderness and warmth, how would he know that he was missing it? Much like Taeseung. Before he met Mikyung, he never knew what love and happiness felt like, so once he got a taste for it, he realized that his life lacked it. Of course, the way he decided to change his life wasn’t the best solution, but it was the same principle with Wonwoo.

He thought he had everything he ever needed. That by keeping a cool head and cold heart, he would achieve what he set out for himself.

All things considered, Junhui figured out why Wonwoo resented Taeseung and hated human feelings so much. He was afraid of history repeating itself. Unlike Taeseung, he knew the consequences of his potential aberration, and he couldn’t risk it. Wonwoo was probably ready to live his life as an emotionless zombie if it meant his Clan would survive.

Before Junhui realized it, they had already arrived at the Jeon House and sat in front of it. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts, he didn’t even remember the drive. His eyes staring forward, he noted the repaired wall, only needing a few coats of paint to completely finish it.

Next to him, Wonwoo turned off the engine, looking over to see why his passenger wasn’t moving.

“I get it now.” The words felt soft on his lips.

Wonwoo looked at him. “Get it what?”

Facing him, Junhui said, “Why you’re acting this way, why you refuse to feel anything other than anger.” As Wonwoo continued to watch him, his expression less relaxed and slowly changing to guarded, Junhui tried to rephrase his thoughts into coherent sentences.

Once he was done, Wonwoo pronounced with conviction, “You’re wrong. You’re giving me too much credit.” Wanting to get away from this conversation, he opened the door and stepped out.

“Then correct me,” Junhui challenged, running after him. “Why is it so hard for you to accept that what you’re doing and feeling might be good?”

They were at the stairs leading to the front door, and Wonwoo spun around. Now looking straight at him, his sharp eyes bore into his.

“Because I have no idea what ‘good’ and ‘bad’ mean anymore!”

Junhui blinked.

“I’ve been raised to believe that everything the Clan does is right, that Taeseung was a horrible man who betrayed his people because of a human. He took away our only salvation. I was taught that they led fabulous lives while our people suffered to rebuild. But then I come here and see how hard they worked, how much they had to risk to get the lives that they wanted.” Wonwoo took a breath, shaking his head, his eyes softening as he looked at Junhui. “And you. You and your family treat each other completely differently from mine. Does that make it wrong? Does it make it bad?”

“It doesn’t have to be so black and white,” Junhui said softly.

Sighing, Wonwoo sank onto a stair step, running his hands through his hair. “Sometimes I really get why Taeseung left. Just pick a side and stick with it.”

Hesitating for a second, Junhui gingerly took a seat next to him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you upset.”

He didn’t reply to the comment. His head buried into his hands, it looked like he was trying to keep it from exploding. Junhui felt totally helpless sitting there, guilty that he even brought it up to begin with.

Letting out a sigh, Wonwoo stood up and shook it out. “Come on, let’s just get to work.”

Junhui hated letting things undone like this, but he knew that Wonwoo wasn’t going to talk about it anymore. Knowing better than to push for more, he let the subject drop and followed Wonwoo into the house.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well??? Do we feel better? haha. WonHui definitely took a couple steps closer. I mean, they actually LAUGHED together. 
> 
> Also look at ProtectiveWoo making his first official appearance! ٩(^ᴗ^)۶ Wooooooh! Of couse, Oblivious Jun thinks he got mad bc Jaehyun's a dick (which he is, but come on, junnie... he got mad bc you got hurt...)
> 
> As for Hana... 👀 not that we didn't already know, but _shadyyyyyy_
> 
> We'll continue with more WonHui growing closer next chapter. So hope to see you then!
> 
> As always, thank you for reading!  
> xoxoxo


	15. Puppet Show

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WonHui's house project gets interrupted by an unwelcome visitor.

 

 

 

Equipping him with a putty knife and a can of putty, Wonwoo sent his volunteer off to repair cracks in the doors and walls before the painting could be underway. Lately, wherever he went, Junhui carried with him his trusted bucket; its content switched out to accommodate every project. Filling up cracks was a nice change to the last couple days doing nothing but cleaning and scrubbing. While Wonwoo began to mix the paint for the kitchen wall, Junhui went to the front door and got to work.

After Wonwoo had simply shut down this morning, he eventually restarted his brain with the sole intent of working on the renovation and nothing else. Junhui had followed him to the back yard, noticing the paint cans stacked near the work bench, as well as a new set of tools. He wondered what made Wonwoo go shopping for new ones; his old ones worked fine last Junhui saw. There, Wonwoo had briefed him on what he wanted him to get done, then sent the boy on his way.

At the front of the house, Junhui set his little bucket down and moved up close to the door, looking for the cracks. Since the paint had long ago faded out due to sun exposure, the job was fairly easy. He applied the putty into the splits and pushed down, filling them. Next he grabbed the blue tape and covered the knob, lock, and glass frame to protect them from the paint. Sanding and cleaning the wood came next. Done with the front, he entered and did the same on the other side. For the next couple hours or so, he went around to every door on the first floor and repeated the process, stopping on occasions to check walls for cracks and nail holes.

While doing mundane activities kept his hands busy, the distraction wasn’t enough to put his mind at ease. As he worked, he thought about Wonwoo again and what the latter said about the meaning of the words “good and bad”, “right and wrong.” It was all relative. It didn’t even have to cross boundaries between his world and Wonwoo’s. The ruling class would deem royal guards as good, while rebels would consider them awful. Stealing is wrong, but in Robin Hood’s case, it was the right thing to do. Everything was relative and dependent on the situation.

So Junhui didn’t blame Wonwoo for getting so confused and doubting everything now. He was glad that Wonwoo understood Taeseung’s choice better, though. The less strongly Wonwoo rejected his past and the more he accepted, the better off he’d be in deciding what to do for himself.

One comment still made Junhui pause, however. What did Wonwoo mean when he said that he saw how much Taeseung and Mikyung risked and lost in trying to create new lives for themselves? Was he talking about the murders at the end, or something else? Obviously, everyone knew that the couple never really fit into Diamond Creek when they settled here. Even if they had normal, and somewhat sociable jobs, they still remained on the fringe. Like their house.

Roaming the foyer, Junhui followed the curve of the grand staircase with his eyes. Wonwoo hadn’t come right out and told him to stay away from the second floor, but Junhui had always taken it as a given. Now though, he wanted to see more.

The wood of the balustrade felt smooth under his fingertips as he cautiously climbed the steps to the second story. Never having been up here other than to clean windows, he felt a small thrill swooping through his tummy. He hadn’t dared open any of the doors and peeked inside. In view of the recent events, these rooms held great interest. The steps creaked slightly under his weight, but he kept going. On the landing, he made a left down the corridor toward the bedrooms. As he got closer, the second door on the right was slightly ajar, as if in invitation. It took him about a second to make up his mind, then he pushed the door open.

The nursery.

The small room held a rich-brown wooden crib, which still contained baby blankets and pillows, together with a worn teddy bear sitting in the corner. Junhui stepped closer, resting his hands on the rail. In the same color wood stain, there was a rocking horse, a small table, a dresser, and some shelves carrying old children’s books. Next to the crib was a comfortable-looking chair. Despite having no one living here for almost a century, the room felt warm, as if the family had merely been away on vacation. The only indication of time passing was the cover of dust, and the discoloration of the curtains and handmade stuffed animals sitting around the room. Since the baby had been so young, the majority of the toys here consisted of plushes and the mobile over the crib.

With a little nudge, Junhui made the little sheep twirl around the crescent moon. A few notes of a foreign lullaby played softly in the empty room. He looked around a bit. Carefully, he made his way to the tall bookshelf, scanning the titles and smiling to himself. There was a photo of baby Hwan asleep in Mikyung’s arms. Junhui stared at the shot, noticing that it was taken in this very room. Breathing in a deep sigh, he tried to fight the lump that rose in his throat. Then he turned away from the bittersweet scene, only to see what appeared to a journal.

Mindful of how old it was, he opened it. On the first page, written in a beautiful script, it read: _Jeon Hwan Joowon: My first year, My first everything._

Junhui turned the page. A little family tree was kept. On the top were his parents’ names and birthdays: J. Taeseung, March 7th 1916; J. Mikyung, August 3rd 1918. Then below, Mikyung wrote in the baby’s name and birthday, April 9th 1938. Quickly, Junhui did the math, and figured that baby Hwan was merely four months old when his parents died.

As Junhui went through the journal, his heart clenched seeing the photos and reading the short entries. They loved their baby so much. So many memories were kept within those pages, so many smiles. They didn’t live in luxury, but they had complete and happy lives. Only for everything to end in tragedy. Putting away the scrapbook where he found it, Junhui noticed a music box on the shelf.

It looked handmade, as well. Being a carpenter, Taeseung must have worked on it in his spare time. On the top, he had carved a little crescent moon and stars dancing around. Junhui wound it up and opened the lid. The old mechanism started up slowly before _Au Clair de la Lune_ played. The box didn’t contain anything; it was literally just a music box. The tune stopped after one song and a half. Next to the music box, a triple clock stood. It had a little wooden bird standing in front of each clock face, each bird painted a different color. The large blue one showed 7:16, the pink one had 7:18, and the clock hands of the baby purple bird were on 7 and 38. _How odd_.

Standing there, his puzzle-solving part of the brain kicked in. 7:16, 7:18, 7:38. Were those special times? Did things happen at those specific times? But was that day or night? If this was military time and seven at night, it would read 19:16. Just like that, everything clicked.

Those were the years each person was born. Going back to the scrapbook, Junhui opened it to the family tree and approached the clocks again. Since the clocks didn’t have a glass cover, he just stuck his finger out and moved the hands until they read 3:07, 8:03, and 4:09, respectively. A little noise came from the gears inside, then he heard a click. The base opened, and he tugged gently on the little door to see what was inside. Before he could see what it was, the item dropped to the floor.

It sounded like metal. Getting down on all four, he scanned the floor until he found the little key. Not like ordinary keys, this one had a thick frame and square teeth: an antique key. Sitting back on his legs, Junhui examined it. There were no markings on the bronze. What could this possibly open? A look around the room showed no such keyhole. None of the doors in the house had a keyhole like that; they all had modern locks. Whatever the key opened, it had to be important if the Jeons hid it. But considering the relative ease of the puzzle to acquire the key, it must also mean that the Jeons expected someone to find it.

Deep down, he knew he should tell Wonwoo about this. Yet as Junhui pocketed the key into his jeans, he decided against it. Until he could figure out where this key led or what it opened, he would keep it his little secret. The last thing he wanted was for Wonwoo to confiscate the key and not even attempt to figure out the mystery his ancestors left behind.

Downstairs, the front door opened, startling him out of his musings.

“Junhui?” Wonwoo must be looking for him. By the shuffling and low creaks of the door hinges, he seemed to be assessing the boy’s work. His voice sounded distracted, too.

He hurried to dust himself, directing his voice toward the door. “Be right there!”

Making sure everything was where it was supposed to be, Junhui left the nursery and crept down to the first floor. Thankfully, Wonwoo wasn't anywhere nearby, saving him from explaining where he’d been. He went to look for him, spotting the older in front of the supply closet. Wonwoo was pulling out a tarp and rolls of plastic covers. Junhui stepped forward, giving him a hand.

“Did you get everything?” Wonwoo asked, releasing his hold on the tarp.

“Just the first floor and the walls of the first floor.”

With his elbow, Wonwoo swung the door around, using his foot to tap it close. “It’s fine. We’ll probably only get that far today, anyway.”

“Are we painting the whole house?” Junhui wondered, walking back to the entrance with him.

“I want to,” he said, “but let’s take one thing at a time. I’d hate to leave a wall half-finished or get paint all over the place because we tried to rush things. Alright, here’s good.” Dropping the plastic rolls to the floor, he took a good look around the area, calculating the plan of attack.

In the foyer, apart from the new floorboards, there wasn’t much that needed protection from the paint. All the small cabinets and tables had either been removed prior to today, or they could easily be placed into another room. When it came time to paint the hallways, they would have to move the grandfather clock in order to save themselves from bumping into it with the ladder. But like Wonwoo said, one room at a time. They’d get to the giant clock later.

“Could you start spreading these out?” Wonwoo gestured toward the covers. “I’ll go grab the paint.”

“Sure.” Junhui nodded, beginning to unravel the roll as his partner opened the front door and went around to his work station.

First, Junhui spread the tarp on the floor under the door to catch any errant drop of paint before it could damage the porch and foyer. Then he started to transfer the small corner table into the adjacent room so they could reach the bottom of the wall. When he came back for the cabinet, he heard Wonwoo’s hurried footsteps. He was running toward the house.

“Are you o—Whoa!” Junhui barely had the time to move before Wonwoo crashed into the house, eyes blown wide and face ashen. He slammed the door closed.

Wonwoo cursed under his breath, one hand still resting on the wood as if trying to keep something from entering.

A cold jolt ran down Junhui’s spine, and he shivered. “W-what’s going on?” he asked cautiously.

This was the first time he’d ever seen Wonwoo in a state of distress. A state of… fear. That caused his stomach to twist. What could be so horrible as to scare _Jeon Wonwoo?_ The man had barely even blinked when his house caught fire. What could have scared him so much?

Not answering right away, Wonwoo shook his head as if to clear his thoughts, the he marched toward him and grabbed his arm. “Trust me, Junhui, you don’t want to know.” He pulled on Junhui’s arm, leading the younger into the dining room.

“Wha—” The grip didn’t hurt, but neither did he give him much space to argue.

Inside the room, Wonwoo released his wrist so he could push aside the first piece of the long row of cabinets lining the wall. The double-door cabinet slid out, revealing a little door in the wall just smaller than the height of the furniture row. Wonwoo pulled a key out of his back pocket and unlocked it. The hatch sprung open. The cavity was much bigger than Junhui had originally thought.

“Wow.”

Still reeling from seeing the secret passageway, Junhui didn’t even put up a fight when Wonwoo caught his hand and pushed him inside. “Don’t move and don’t make a sound,” he said, trying to sound calm, but didn’t convey it very well. “It’ll be over soon.”

Eyes wide, Junhui couldn’t find his voice as Wonwoo gave him one last look and closed the door. Junhui heard the click, and he began to panic. He told himself to breathe and to think logically. There was a very thin slit, letting the daylight spill in. Once his eyes adjusted to the dark, he felt slightly better. Thankfully for him, since Wonwoo didn’t have much time before running out, he had merely pushed the cabinet toward the wall to give it a semblance of order. It hid Junhui’s secret door, but didn’t completely trap him. He also noticed that the inside of the door had a little handle, which meant that he could get out if Wonwoo failed to come back. He swallowed, unwilling to even think of something like that.

Just a moment later, he heard knocking in the hall. It was an acute sound, and sitting in here, it felt like someone was nailing shut the coffin he was stuck in. Wonwoo opened the door. Whoever it was took a couple steps in. A woman. Those were some kind of high heeled shoes tapping on the wood planks. The door clicked closed.

“Mother.”

Junhui froze, listening more closely. Wonwoo’s mother was here? The same woman who slashed his arm because he tried to hunt by himself and broke his ribs? _Oh, geez_. He was right, Junhui didn’t want to know.

“Sorry for disturbing you,” she said offhandedly. “Is there anywhere we can talk, or is the whole house on the brink of falling apart?” She sounded severe, commanding. All Junhui could see through the slit were flitting shadows around the corner.

“The meeting room’s this way,” Wonwoo said, an edge to his voice. His footsteps moved to the other side of the house, but his mother had other ideas.

“What about in here?” she wondered, beginning to take steps toward the dining room. _Crap!_ “Looks clean enough.” Wonwoo must have hesitated, because she got suspicious. “Is there something wrong with this room?”

“No,” he answered.

A couple seconds later, Junhui saw him walk in first, pulling out a chair for her. Wonwoo had wanted her to sit with her back to the row of cabinets, where Junhui still held his breath. The woman that strode in didn’t look demonic in the sense that there were no horns or tail or fangs. But if there was such a thing as auras, hers could probably kill with prolonged exposure.

She was tall, thin, and beautiful, features sharp and striking. Thick and long black hair fell down her back in waves and framed her oval face. Her expression was hard, a thin line stretched her red lips. The way she walked hinted at a high birth, her back straight and shoulders pulled back, head held high. What made Junhui want to bolt, though, were her eyes. Violet in color, they were cold, piercing, and as intense as her son’s. The way she watched him now, studying his face and actions, made Junhui shiver. It was as if with one look alone, she could read his every thought.

Junhui swallowed.

Wonwoo was still waiting, his hands resting on the back of the chair he had pulled out. Keeping her gaze on him, she took a seat at the head of the table. It wasn’t the ideal seat, but at least it was only her profile that faced the row of cabinets. Junhui was certain that if she had chosen to sit with her back to the windows, facing him, she would see him instantly.

Crossing her legs, she waited for Wonwoo to sit down. Reluctantly, he did, facing her and Junhui. Not once did he glance toward the row of cabinets. The tension was thick, palpable. Suffocating.

Finally breaking the silence, Wonwoo asked in an even tone, “What are you doing here?”

“Can’t a mother visit her son?” she asked innocently, the faintest hint of a smile on her lips.

Scoffing, Wonwoo shook his head, keeping her gaze. “Since when do you care what happens to me?”

“Oh, I’ve always cared, Wonwoo,” she responded; her tone was saccharine. “What you do and how you behave doesn’t only concern you, it reflects on myself and my role as your mother.”

He rolled his eyes. “Right. What a wonderful mother you’ve been.”

Now she smiled, amused. “Are you saying you would have wished I were more loving? More like... Mikyung?” Taking the room in, she broke eye contact long enough to look around, seemingly bored. Wonwoo didn’t respond to that comment. Sighing, she turned back to him. “I don’t know how you can stand it. The human stench is oozing out of every nook and cranny.” She made a face, wrinkling her dainty nose in disgust. “Pathetic,” she sighed again. “No matter how much they tried to change, they would never fit in with this town.”

With a perfectly long manicured nail, she clawed into the wood of the table, purposely destroying it, making Wonwoo wince.

“Please don’t do that,” he told her.

Glancing at him, she shrugged, blowing the wood shavings from her hand. “So I raise you for twenty-four years, send you to fetch the Stone so that you might accomplish _something_ with your existence, and all you’ve been doing for the past two and a half weeks had been to fix up this rat hole. Have you forgotten what you are supposed to do? What you are here for?” she dropped the easy smiles and pretenses.

“No, I haven’t, Mother. But perhaps you failed to mention the product that ended up in my veins.”

Her violet eyes narrowed. “You found out about the Crystal. Well, I suppose it was bound to happen.”

“Why didn’t anyone ever tell me?” he questioned.

“Because you didn’t need to know about it,” she replied, her voice curt. “Your sole purpose has always been to get back what Taeseung took. Bear the name Jeon in shame, as a constant reminder of what he did. You and every Jeon after you will do one thing and one thing only: by whatever means, wash the humiliation and disgrace that your ancestor has committed.”

Again, Wonwoo didn’t reply. He cut his eyes at her, staring at a spot on the floor, unwilling to look at her.

“Aren’t you going to say anything?” He remained silent. “Wonwoo, answer me!”

“I heard you,” he gritted his teeth, clenching his fists.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you.”

Junhui could see him breathing hard, trying to control his rage as he looked up at her.

She paused, composing her next attack. “We all have roles to play, a duty to uphold. Mine was to bear Joowon an heir to the Jeon line,” she spit out. “Yours is to find that Stone and bring it home. You will do nothing less and nothing more. All you know of that traitor and his wife is enough. We will not allow you to deviate from your purpose and go play detective. You are wasting time, and we are losing patience. Did you hear what I said?”

“Why do you need my input,” Wonwoo met her eyes, “when I am nothing but a puppet to all of you?”

The two of them battled, stretching the limits of their own control to remain calm. After a minute, she was able to speak. “Minsoo mentioned a boy working with you.” Junhui stilled. His entire body suddenly felt like ice. Wonwoo remained unfazed. “Is he the source for this aberration? This sudden insubordination?”

“No,” he snapped. “He’s just a kid. Leave him out of this.”

His mother narrowed her eyes. “You’ve changed, Wonwoo. And I don’t like this.”

“Why?” he retorted. “Because I’m slipping out of your hands? Out of the Clan’s control?”

“Because you are about to make a big mistake,” she enunciated, the threat making goosebumps rise on Junhui’s skin. “Don’t think for a second that distance will lessen the consequences if you step out of line. Do what you want with the boy, but bring back that Stone.” She stood up, looking down at him. Junhui expected another bitter tirade, but instead her voice turned soft and sweet like honey as she cupped his cheek. The gesture that should’ve seemed tender between a mother and her son. Instead, it felt oddly forced. “Don’t turn out like Taeseung, Wonwoo.” He glanced up at her, his dark eyes still guarded. “Is your defiance worth the price of your people’s lives? We’ve raised you better than this, haven’t we?”

He didn’t move. He just stared at her as she dropped her hand and stepped away.

“Well, I should get back,” she announced, her voice significantly less sweet now. He stood up, following her to the door. “Don’t disappoint the Clan, Wonwoo,” she said as a goodbye. The door closed.

Junhui waited a few seconds, making sure she wouldn’t suddenly come burst through the house. When Wonwoo didn’t come in, he got worried. He counted to sixty, then slowly turned the knob. He crawled out, feeling sore from head to toe from being crammed into that tight space. Standing up, he stretched his arms over his head, then went out to the hall to find Wonwoo.

He was sitting in the meeting room, his face turned toward the window. He looked numb, lost in thoughts. Junhui had heard of rough parenting, but his mother was just a cruel woman. First yelling at him, then reminding him that he was merely a pawn, expected to do nothing but take orders and accomplish them. Junhui frowned, put upon. He was sure that Wonwoo knew of the way she manipulated him; she caught on to how he was wavering between the two halves within himself. Not once did she even ask about his welfare.

Approaching him slowly, Junhui tried to see how he was doing. Not thinking about anything other than to comfort, he rested a hand over his shoulder. Wonwoo started, and Junhui immediately pulled back. However, realizing that it was him, Wonwoo caught the boy’s hand and kept it on his shoulder. It was probably the first nice gesture he’d gotten all day. He needed the contact, the warmth, the reassurance that at least someone considered him more than a thing.

“Wonwoo,” he called softly. “It’s gonna be okay.”

He shrugged under Junhui’s palm, his thumb unconsciously rubbing the back of the boy’s hand. “Only if I stay on their good side and find the Stone before they completely lose patience. And even then…” he scoffed.

“Why haven’t you been out looking for it?” Junhui wondered.

“I just...” Wonwoo paused. “I lost the trail.”

“What do you mean?”

“When I came here, I had a very faint trail that emanated from the Stone’s powers.” He shook his head. “But after learning of the Crystals and trying to deal with its growing powers, the fire damage, and then you,” he sighed, free hand rubbing his face wearily. “I can’t pick up the trail anymore. It’s just gone.”

That didn’t sound good, to say the very least. Junhui squeezed his shoulder, offering some support. The muscles felt tense. Honestly, Junhui didn’t know what to say. He had no idea how it worked, so he stayed quiet, giving him some space to think.

“Her showing up here to remind me didn’t help, either,” he added.

Junhui waited a minute, then said, “Well, the people we love most are the usually ones who can hurt us most.”

“She doesn’t have to love me, neither do I need to love her,” he replied. “She just has to know me.”

 

Eventually, the pair resumed the painting job. There was nothing else to do at the moment, and Junhui could see that it helped take Wonwoo’s mind off of things for a while. Seeing him move around and work like a zombie was surreal. He’d never shown to be a spaz or goofing around, but he hadn’t looked _dead_ , either. As they painted the doors and spread out the covers over the furniture and floor, Wonwoo hardly said a word to him. It shouldn’t have been a very different experience, yet somehow it felt completely odd. In the past, when he didn’t talk to him it was either out of disinterest or later on, because he was angry about the Crystal. By doing so, he showed some life, rather than the lifeless zombie he behaved as now. Just dazed, distracted despite able to complete his tasks without spilling anything. Junhui was so used to him leading the show that now he was kind of lost.

They finished about half of the rooms around five in the afternoon. They could’ve gone for more, but there was only the kitchen and two great rooms left. The kitchen would have to wait until that corner was cleared and cleaned up. As for the great rooms, each of them would require moving furniture, big pieces, away from the walls. Currently, those rooms were used to house the smaller furniture from the rest of the first floor.

To get away from the paint fumes, they opened all the windows then went out on the porch to sit on the steps. A light breeze blew through the trees, carrying over their heads the fresh and crisp scent of the woods. It was a pleasant afternoon, with the sun shining against a blue sky, yet cool enough to sit out here. Wonwoo’s gaze pointed toward the tree line, too, but Junhui doubted he saw it.

“Hey,” he called softly, not wanting to startle him out of his thoughts too roughly. Wonwoo glanced over. “Do you want to go for a ride?”

“A ride,” he repeated, slightly more animated (if not bemused) now, hearing the suggestion. “Aren’t you usually terrified of riding with me?”

Junhui pursed his lip, glad to see a hint of a smirk tugging on the corner of Wonwoo’s lips. “I misspoke. Actually, it’s within walking distance, so it’d be more of a walk.”

Wonwoo hesitated, turning to the trees again. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea right now.”

“Look, I may know absolutely nothing about how to find this magical Stone,” he said, “But I know that you can’t do anything productive if you don’t even have an inkling of where to start. For that, your head needs a break from the overworking and forcing you’ve put it through.” Junhui pushed himself to his feet, the older following his movements with his eyes. “Come on.” Wonwoo’s stare shifted from Junhui’s face down to his extended hand.

Just when Junhui thought that Wonwoo would decline, he grabbed his hand and stood up. He released it after that, only having taken it in the first place to not hurt Junhui’s feelings, he was sure. Wonwoo fell into step with him as they walked down the first slope of Serenity Hill. Instead of continuing down where they would meet the road, they took a trail a little earlier and descended down that side of the hill.

“Where are we going?” Wonwoo asked after a while.

Smiling proudly, Junhui turned around. “My sanctuary.”

He raised an eyebrow at that, but didn’t comment for a few minutes. They walked through the woods along the worn out path. Junhui hadn’t gone through this part for some time, but as they continued, it got more familiar. Next to him, Wonwoo was very quiet. Even his footsteps were careful and calculated. If Junhui didn’t know better, he would have thought that his companion had ditched him a while ago. Considering that Wonwoo was a hunter, Junhui supposed he would have needed to perfect his walk to be as quiet as possible in order to catch his prey. Shuddering, Junhui tried not to dwell too much on that detail.

The pair continued in silence for a bit, leaving the trees behind and stepping into the golden field. This field had been deserted for as long as Junhui could remember. Rain fell, but it never seemed to be enough to soften the soil and give the grass the nutrients it needed. The blades were tall, but dried, tainted golden by the sun. They seemed brittle as they brushed against the boys’ legs. Far away, the mountain offered some shade against the sun.

With nothing out here but wild vegetation, it wasn’t difficult to notice one of the landmarks Junhui used to guide himself.

“See the big oak over there?” Junhui asked, gesturing toward the old tree. For some totally weird and irrational desire, he’d wanted to cheer him up. Or at least give him a place where he could relax for a few minutes. Seeing him so dead made Junhui try to get some reaction from him, whether Wonwoo wanted to scream at him or whatnot, it was better than this shell walking beside him.

“Yeah, what about it?” Wonwoo asked, glancing over.

With a slightly embarrassed smile, Junhui shared, “I crashed into it the first time Minghao and Mingyu taught me how to drive.”

Wonwoo cocked a brow, “Did the car survive?”

Laughing, Junhui stared at him. “I tell you I crashed into a tree, and you want to know if the _car_ is okay?”

“Well, you’re talking to me now, so I imagine whatever happened, you came out fine.”

“The car survived with only minor scratches and dings,” he answered. “I was so scared to even drive, I didn’t exceed five miles an hour on that first trial.”

Finally, Junhui got a reaction other than polite acknowledgment. Wonwoo smirked. “So your tendency to crawl on the road was present even then.”

Junhui made a face and rolled his eyes. “I’m sure you can understand why I would want to minimize the chances of getting into accidents.”

“Right,” he nodded, the grin suddenly disappearing from his face. Junhui bit his tongue, feeling so stupid for ruining what he’d just been able to get out of him.

It wasn’t until they were almost there, and Junhui took more confident steps ahead of him that Wonwoo broke the silence between them.

“I have to admit, I am impressed.”

Glancing over, Junhui waited for him to clarify.

“For such a sheltered kid, you actually look like you know where you’re going.” He didn’t say it unkindly, but just as an observation, before turning his eyes to the front again.

Junhui nodded, smiling lightly. “Even a broken clock is right twice a day. After getting lost for twenty years, I’m bound to find my way on occasions, right?”

“Yeah, I suppose so,” he agreed with a light shrug.

Eventually, they reached the edge of the woods again, crossing the distance quickly. The clearing came into view, as perfectly still as Junhui had last seen in. He breathed out contentedly, seeing the afternoon sun rays shine through the canopy and create a warmer shade than early morning sunshine. Turning back to Wonwoo, he confided with a smile, “No one else knows of this place. Not anymore at any rate.”

Unlike what he assumed, Wonwoo wasn’t too distracted to catch the last remark. “Was it your father or Dr. Minji?”

Junhui sighed, taking off his shoes and treaded on the grass. “This was Dr. Minji’s clearing. During the last few weeks of that year, she told me its location. Before that, she’d use it as the setting for all of her fairy tales. She swore me to secrecy.” He turned around, facing him.

Wonwoo met his gaze, a little puzzled when he heard what the younger said. “Then why did you break the oath?”

“Because I’m hoping that it’s going to help you get through the hard times as much as it’s helped me.” Wonwoo didn’t respond, so he went on. “There’s a reason I refer to this clearing as my sanctuary. When I’m here, everything else around me ceases to exist for a moment, allowing me to take a deep breath and unwind from all the stress and the tension.”

“It only delays the inevitable,” he muttered, scanning the horizons. 

His face fell. Junhui turned away from him, continuing toward the center of the clearing. “Once life takes its course, there’s no way for you to stop, even for a second. The only thing you can do is go along for the ride, hoping you can avoid potholes and accidents, making the appropriate turns. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, you still end up getting lost and stuck somewhere.” He sat down, crossing his legs. Wonwoo hadn’t moved, lingering at the fringe of the meadow. “But if you don’t stop and take the time to think it through, you’ll just wander around in circles, never finding your way,” he finished, patting the spot next to him.

Wonwoo took a long time considering what the younger had said, studying him. Around them, the forest was oddly still. It was the in-between time of the day when daylight animals began to settle down, and night creatures started to wake up. A couple birds called to each other to come home, their wings beating through the thick leaves.

Shaking his head, Wonwoo took the first steps toward him. “Maybe I should just stay lost.”

“You don’t mean that,” Junhui replied with a frown as Wonwoo sat down a few feet away.

“And how do you know ?” he retorted.

“Because you wouldn’t have come here in the first place.”

Wonwoo leaned back onto his palms. “I wanted to prove that I wouldn’t betray them as Taeseung did, that I would stay loyal to the Alcaeus Clan to the end.”

“Why is there so much pressure on the Jeon name?” Junhui wanted to know, remembering what his mother had said earlier. _We all have roles to play, a duty to uphold. Mine was to bear Joowon an heir to the Jeon line._ “Is it because of what Taeseung did?”

“Mainly,” he agreed, then paused a moment. “Since the betrayal, the responsibilities have been split into five members of the Clan, the Elders. They look after everyone and take care of everything. I suppose it’s sort of like modern monarchy,” he mused, plucking a grass blade. “The members of the Royal family have titles and duties; however, they don’t run the country singlehandedly anymore.” Holding out his hand, the breeze blew away the green leaf. “In my case,” he concluded, “it’s nothing more than a puppet show. I do what they tell me to do, and the people have a target to pin the blame on when things go wrong.”

“That’s... not fair,” Junhui whispered.

He shrugged. “Growing up, I thought it was a perfect system.”

“Why would you?”

“Because at least then I belonged somewhere,” he admitted. “It gave me the means to please everyone and redeem my name. No one could say that I wasn’t loyal.”

“But it’s changed... _You_ ’ve changed,” Junhui repeated what his mother had observed.

“Yeah.” He plucked another wild daisy, toying with it between his fingers. “Guess the puppet found a brain and dared to think by himself.” Even though he hid it well, the bitterness still escaped through his words.

“What’s going to happen if you don’t fall back in line?” Junhui asked softly, afraid of the answer.

Wonwoo stayed quiet, his eyes distant. “Given time, I’ll fall back in line whether I realize it or not. They have their ways.”

“Like that scar?” Junhui stared at the mark peeking out of his short sleeve. He glanced at it absently.

“Yeah, among others.”

“Others?”

Wonwoo met his astonished gaze with a calm expression. “Discipline, Junhui. I never would’ve become the man I am today without it.”

His eyes turned round. “ _That’s_ the kind of discipline you went through? You were beaten into submission?”

“It could have been worse,” he said.

“How?” Junhui couldn’t imagine anything much worse than that.

“They could’ve not taken any interest in me at all, not giving me the time of day. They did what they had to do to ensure that I grew up into a good Alcaeusian,” he explained, his voice so sure. “I was nothing but a piece of clay until they chose to mold me into someone productive, trustworthy. Obedient.”

Junhui could see the conflict reflecting in his eyes. On one hand, Wonwoo genuinely valued what they did to him, actually giving him an education and making him the man that he had become. However, at the same time, he couldn’t help thinking that maybe their motives weren’t as noble as he had believed.

“But now you don’t really think they did it for your own good, do you?” he prompted gently, hoping Wonwoo would say more.

A rueful smile pulled on his lips. “There lies the question, doesn’t it? They claimed they needed to install Alcaeusian values in me, but was it so I could serve my people, or to give them the strings necessary to keep me under their command?” he mused, messing with the grass again. “I guess it doesn’t really matter.”

Surprised, Junhui asked him why. “You are clearly bothered by this. Aren’t you even going to confront them?”

“One does not confront the Elders,” he said firmly. “Not unless he has a death wish.” His eyes snapped up, staring at his companion until Junhui nodded his understanding.

After a moment, Wonwoo remarked with a sigh, “I’m going to regret wasting the past couple weeks. For improperly following my orders.” He looked up at the sky. “Whatever comes will come, but it’ll be between me and them. In the meantime, I have to find some way to get that Stone back to the Clan.”

There was no way to change his mind, Junhui could see that quite clearly. It was just so upsetting to him that even though Wonwoo knew they hardly valued him as a person, he still had to fall back under their command because others hung in the balance. Maybe they had planned it this way: giving him orders that he couldn’t refuse even when he found the strings that had been pulling on him from the start. Despite having destroyed the illusion of their benevolence, he still had to do what they told him to. Like he mentioned, they had molded him into the perfect soldier. Apart from the past couple weeks, they probably even knew his thoughts, since they taught him how to think and go about situations, too.

Junhui sighed, shaking his head and looking upward. “Locating this Stone might be even worse than finding a needle in a haystack,” he commented.

“At least in that situation, you know what the needle looks like,” he said. “If you spread out the hay into a thin layer, then use a metal detector, you’d find it easily.” Leaning back into his palms, he cocked his head to the side. “Even if I flatten out Diamond Creek, I don’t have any tool to pick up traces of the Stone,” he thought aloud, making Junhui sit up to stare at him in horror. “Relax, Junhui. I’m not gonna do it,” he said slowly.

“Okay,” the other nodded nervously. “That’s good to know.”

With a groan, Wonwoo laid back, staring at the trees overhead. Junhui did the same, feeling his back muscles tense before relaxing little by little. Peeking over, he saw him cover his face with one arm, but his other hand was drumming to a silent tune, so the younger knew he was awake. The pair refrained from talking for a while, just listening to their own breathing and the little creatures running through the trees and bushes. All this time, Junhui’s mind played back the interaction with his mother, flinching mentally. Then a name popped up.

“Earlier, your mom mentioned someone,” Junhui started, waiting to see if Wonwoo was even still awake. When he heard him acknowledge the comment with a low sound, he continued, “Who’s Minsoo and how does she know about me?” It was a scary thing when someone you’ve never seen knew you.

“Lee Minsoo,” he said with a sigh. “The Shame of the Clan, and my cousin.”

“Oh,” Junhui grimaced. “Sorry I asked.”

Wonwoo didn’t continue right away. A couple heartbeats later, he said more. “She’s been my best friend since we were little, and I suppose things haven’t changed much since then.” Junhui nodded even though Wonwoo couldn’t see him. “I told her about you when the Crystals came up. Apparently she knew about them, too, and I was the only one left in the dark.” He laughed wryly.

“I hope she’s nicer than your mom,” Junhui said quietly, recalling all the comments Wonwoo had made about his family.

He scoffed. “Yeah, she is. She’s also considered the oddity.”

“For being nice?”

“For acting way too human.” He paused. “She used to get into so much trouble when we were little.” Shaking his head, he let out a short laugh. “Unlike the rest, for some reason she didn’t possess any of the Alcaeus powers. All her powers are pretty useless.”

Taking a moment to consider that Wonwoo might hold those powers without Junhui even knowing, he decided to take the cowardly way and ask about Minsoo’s powers for now. “What are they?”

Junhui could almost see him roll his eyes. “She can make plants grow and talk to animals.”

“That’s really cool,” Junhui exclaimed.

“It is, but not if you’re one of us. When we were kids, she used to talk plants into blooming whenever I turned up after a particularly harsh punishment. I used to think it was the coolest ability, until it turned out that it’d get her in trouble, too. Not only that, she spent all her time talking to animals instead of hunting them. It’s kind of hard to explain to your pet rabbit why you suddenly want to eat it,” he said flatly. “So she never could go hunt because of that, and she doesn’t have the speed nor the strength to take down anything bigger than a rabbit,” he explained. “Needless to say, she failed to reach her hunting quota on a daily basis. Not only did she go hungry that day because her share was given to the old and sick, anyone who deliberately disobeys received ten hits and got hung upside down for an hour.” His voice sounded so casual, like he was telling Junhui that they had to copy lines on the blackboard.

“Oh, my god,” he whispered, hardly able to imagine such harsh penalization imposed on kids.

“More times than not,” Wonwoo continued in that same indifferent tone, “I had to take half of her punishment, otherwise she would've probably been dead before she even reached puberty.”

“You... You took half of everything?” he repeated. “Even when you didn’t deserve the punishment?”

“Yeah. Although she’s full Alcaeusian, her bones take twice as long to heal as a normal person. Even with my condition I healed faster than her.”

To say that Junhui was surprised was an understatement. Wonwoo had cared enough for her to be willing to take half of every beating, every ridiculously cruel disciplinary action.

“Can’t she do anything to help you now?”

Putting his arm down, Wonwoo glanced down at him. “Like what? She can’t even go find her own food. Every couple nights, she has to come find me and wait for me to take down something bigger than a rodent for her.”

What he said made a memory pop up. “Is that why the kitchen counter was bloody when I came to the house for the first time?”

His eyes narrowed. “You remember that?”

Junhui nodded. “She’s the girl who ran out of the house when I arrived,” he said, both to himself and Wonwoo.

“Ah.”

After almost three weeks, Junhui finally found out the identity of the mystery woman. Looks like neither Minghao’s nor his own theory was correct. She wasn’t Wonwoo’s secret lover or a thief.

The pair stayed in the clearing until the sun turned orange and began to descend behind the trees, stretching their shadows longer and longer. The air cooled down a few degrees as the sky darkened.

“We should probably get back,” Junhui suggested, sitting up and checking his phone for the time. There was a message from Minghao sent an hour ago, while they were walking, possibly. No wonder Junhui didn’t feel it vibrate. Reading it, he checked the time again. _Oh, great_.

Wonwoo was already on his feet, looking around them again.

“Do you know how to get back to the house from here?” Junhui asked him as they began walking to the edge of the meadow, and the younger put on his shoes.

“Why? Aren’t you walking back so your brother can pick you up?” he wondered.

Junhui shook his head, pointing to his phone. “He’s got a date with Hana.”

A disgusted look on his face, Wonwoo asked, “So he’s just leaving you stranded because of her?”

“No, well.” Junhui took a second. “He sent me the text a while ago, but I never saw it until now. He said that if he didn’t hear from me by half an hour ago, he would assume that I was fine with it. And I am,” he assured him. “I just gotta go this way,” he pointed in the opposite direction of the Jeon House. “But if you’re still a little sketchy, then I can walk with you...” His voice slowly dwindled as he took in Wonwoo’s glare. “Sorry. Experienced hunter. You know your way around the woods. Gotcha.”

Wonwoo studied him, as if debating something. Cocking his head, he said, “Come on. I’ll give you a ride back.”

Opening his mouth, Junhui quickly closed it again. Then he smiled, but shook his head, “It’s all right. I’ll just walk.”

“Junhui.” At the tone of his voice, he knew not to mess around.

“Okay. Thank you.”

This time around, Wonwoo took the lead. Junhui had thought that he knew his way around the woods and fields, too, but it was so different at twilight. The colors were different, and the landmarks he used to navigate himself were harder to spot. Wonwoo probably considered this, expecting the boy to get lost on his way back if he went alone. Hearing about the sacrifices he went through for Minsoo, Junhui didn’t find this behavior very strange anymore. He was used to looking out for more than himself, a quality his Clan Elders and mother exploited. At the thought, a dull pang pierced his heart, and Junhui grimaced, rubbing over the spot.

As the pair reached the Jeon property, night had almost claimed everything. There were only a few golden and orange streaks in the sky where the sun had set. Even in the near darkness, Junhui could see Wonwoo’s shoulders sag when he set eyes on the house. Regardless of his initial disagreement, the time spent in the clearing did seem like a short reprieve. Now that they were back, things were in motion again.

Wonwoo unlocked the car, and they got in. He drove Junhui back at the same crazy speed, but the latter tried not to have a panic attack, remembering to close his eyes while he still could control his movements. Naturally, before he knew it, they were parked in his driveway. Hyejin’s car was there, the porch lights on, as well as the ones in the living room and kitchen. They sat there a moment, before Junhui spoke.

“So what are you going to do now?”

Wonwoo’s hands tightened on the steering wheel. “What I should have been doing from the start.” He shook his head. “I’m gonna find that Stone even if it kills me.”

Flinching at those words, Junhui kept staring at his profile. His dark hair looked almost black now, but his eyes were bright, faraway. “Wonwoo,” he called softly.

A heartbeat passed before he glanced over to look at him.

“You can’t fall back into their hands. I don’t care what they say or think about you: you’re neither a puppet nor a pawn. To me, you’re real and you have choices. Don’t let the fear of the repercussions stop you from doing what you think is right. I know it’s not the same thing, but if I had let the town intimidate me, I wouldn’t be here today. The reason why I go against the grain and keep helping people who hate me is because I choose to, knowing it’s the right thing to do because of what I owe them and everyone else. All our lives, we’ve been drilled to think and act a certain way, but that doesn’t mean that we have to keep up with it.”

Wonwoo broke eye contact and stared out the windshield.

He continued nevertheless. “Whether you find that Stone or not, the fate of many rests in your hands.”

Something flashed across Wonwoo’s face, and he turned to face his passenger. “What?”

“You said so yourself: the Jeon line used to be revered by everyone, so if you want to redeem your name, you can’t sit back and let them lead the show. You have to take control of your fate.”

Wonwoo didn’t respond. He held his gaze for a long time, letting the words settle in around them. Eventually, he asked, “Is that what you’re currently doing?”

Confused, Junhui didn’t know how to respond. “Huh?”

“Is this you taking control of your fate?” Still unsure how to reply, Junhui merely nodded. A dark grin flashed. “That’s funny, because from my point of view,” he glanced at the interior of the car, “I get to decide whether you get out of his car dead or alive.” A cold chill ran down Junhui’s spine, but before he could panic, Wonwoo went on, “That’s what it’s like to live with the Clan,” he explained with a sardonic smile. “You think you have a choice, but you don’t. Not really.”

Taking a breath, Junhui composed his thoughts. “I suppose you do have the power to determine what happens to me in the next five minutes, but that doesn’t mean that I went to the chopping block unwillingly. I chose to climb into the car, just like I decided to come work at the Jeon House. I’m gonna die one way or another,” he said, “But I want to go on my own terms. Whatever road takes me to my demise, I want to be the only one responsible for it.”

Sighing, Wonwoo cracked a smile. “You certainly are a brave little kitten, aren’t you.”

Junhui giggled, cheeks warm. He was glad he was able to form his thoughts into complete sentences, but even more happy that Wonwoo had been willing to listen. The kitchen screen door opening reminded him of where he was, and that he better get inside. “Um, I should…”

Wonwoo nodded.

“Thanks for the ride,” he said, turning around to reach for the door handle. But a hand on his shoulder and his name being called made him turn around.

“Junhui. Thanks for today,” Wonwoo said softly. “And for tonight.”

Smiling again, Junhui replied, “You’re welcome. I’ll see you later.”

Wonwoo agreed, letting go of him. Junhui climbed out of the car and closed the door behind him with a wave, which Wonwoo humored with a slight nod. The car didn’t start to back of out the driveway until Junhui reached the porch and turned around. Standing in front of the door, he watched as Wonwoo drove away.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whoever guessed that jun would end up showing wonu his secret place wins 17 brownie points hahahaha. idk, i think it's cute how he wanted to cheer wonu up by taking him to his magical clearing (ღˇᴗˇ)｡o♡
> 
> junnie and his penchant for finding puzzles and secret keys 😂 POY jun just finds random (and questionable) things and pockets them. he is a hoarder... jk 😂
> 
> wonwoo's mom though... (¬_¬) ughghghghg
> 
> poor wonwoo. so much pressure from his awful Clan, taking advantage of his conscience. hopefully he makes the good choice... dun dun dunnnn
> 
> on a lighter note: hurray for wonhui bonding time! haha. 
> 
> as always, thank you very much for reading! the next chapter is a SUUUUUUPER short Wonu POV, so it'll be up at some point this weekend. see you then! ( ⸝⸝•ᴗ•⸝⸝ )੭⁾⁾  
> xoxoxo


	16. Leaf Unturned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo is conflicted after what WonHui talked about in the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, the Wonu POV. but again, it is SUPER short, like, 500 words lol. But I think it offers some insight. 
> 
> Enjoy!
> 
> -

_July _

 

Easy for Junhui to support and coax him on taking fate into his own hands. Easy for the human in Wonwoo to agree. The demon, however, rejected vehemently the notion right from the start.

Now without Junhui close by, that side of his brain screamed at him to get a grip and remember the beatings he’d been submitted to every time he stepped out of line. Recall the repercussions that befell Minsoo’s mother and aunt when they transgressed. They were but a few among thousands of others who dared to rebel.

After Taeseung’s treachery, the Elders made sure to nip at the bud any and all attempts to defy them, in order to stop Junhui’s kind of attitude among their people before it got out of hands. They had to keep the Clan under control and prevent the potential uprising that would overthrow the current regime.

Wonwoo wanted to agree with Junhui. To believe him. He wanted to break away and think for himself. To be free of their control. To do what was right.

But the beast in him didn’t uphold such noble ideals. He only cared about pleasure and pain. The awards and punishments. And if following orders kept him out of trouble, then he would continue. Survival and self-preservation ruled his thoughts.

With a wry laugh, he shook his head, smile bitter.

For once in his entire pitiful life, Wonwoo wished he was human, so he could fully understand everything that Junhui talked about, see the picture the younger painted. The way Junhui had spoken to him all afternoon and in the car tonight, it threw him off balance by merely thinking about it. Wonwoo wanted to know why Junhui took so much interest in him, genuine interest and care, when his own people didn’t. When Junhui had nothing to gain. Upon reflection, the boy really did embody the goodness of the Crystal within them.

Wonwoo knew he meant well, and he provided the best opportunity to turn over a new leaf. 

But Wonwoo couldn’t risk it. Just as Junhui was afraid of Park Jaehyun, Wonwoo feared the wrath of the Elders. He didn’t have to deal with Jaehyun the same way Junhui didn’t have to worry about the Elders. It was easy to give advice to people, good advice even, but unless you actually walked in their shoes, you would never be able to make them change with your life lessons alone.

He got angry with Junhui for letting such a bully use his guilt to hurt him, and now Junhui was upset with him for not confronting Arawn, Sanghun, Iseul, Hye, and Keegan. The pair both had to live with their respective source of fear, but they had different ways to deal with them, ones that worked. They didn’t agree with each other, but if their approaches worked, why not continue? Especially when fighting back would elicit disastrous consequences for all parties involved.

Perhaps down the line, when the entire population of the Clan didn’t depend on him, Wonwoo would consider severing the strings. Until then, he needed to take time off and find that Stone before the self-preservation mechanism kicked in and really forced him to break his promise and destroy the entire town.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor poor Wonwoo... ●︿● 
> 
> But next week is gonna be WILD. A lot of excitement is coming, you guys! So hope to see you then! 
> 
> xoxoxo


	17. Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun goes to help Soonyoung and Dongsaeng Line at the festival, where a series of mysterious accidents befall the event.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Hurray for early update! hahaha. It's gonna be a busy week for me, so I thought I'd post early just to make sure you guys don't lose out :D 
> 
> ALSO: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WONWOO!!!! ｷｬｯ♪o((〃∇〃o))((o〃∇〃))oｷｬｯ♪ I hope you're having a blast over there! 🎉
> 
> With that said, enjoy the chapter, guys!
> 
> Warning: mention of blood and mild gore (nothing _graphic_ but yeah... just be warned)
> 
> -

 

 

“Good morning, Junnie!” Hyejin greeted him in the kitchen as she buzzed about, packing her lunch and purse for the workday.

Junhui shuffled toward the cupboard for his mug. “’Morning, Mom,” he yawned. After pouring in some sugar, he grabbed the milk and coffee, then settled on a stool around the island with a muffin. A light headache was beating against his temple, mostly due to lack of sleep again. His conversation with Wonwoo about his Clan’s horrible disciplinary actions yesterday gave Junhui nightmares, causing him to toss around all night and feeling restless when he woke up.

“Where did I put my glasses?” Hyejin asked absentmindedly, patting the necklace she normally used to hang her reading glasses.

Stifling another yawn, he glanced at her. “They’re in your hair,” he said, biting onto the muffin and chewing slowly.

“Oh!” She grabbed them and put them in her bag. “Thanks.”

As he watched her zip from one side of the kitchen to the living room to grab her keys, then agenda and phone, he wondered how she had so much energy in the morning. Maybe she slept better than he did, he thought with a mental shrug.

“Alright,” she called his attention. “There’s a couple containers with fresh fruits in the fridge. Tell Minghao to grab one to work today.” Junhui nodded. “There’s leftover noodles on the left, and the sauce is in the little jar.” He nodded again. She came over to kiss his forehead, “Be good.”

“I will,” he chuckled.

“Oh! I almost forgot.” She backtracked from the hallway. Holding out an envelope, she explained, “Wonwoo dropped by this morning and asked me to give you this.”

The surprise woke him up better than the coffee ever could, and his stomach swooped. “He was here? Why?”

“He mentioned that he was going on a trip for a few days, so the renovation is being put on hold. Didn’t he say anything to you?” she wondered.

Shaking his head slowly, Junhui turned the enveloped in his hand. “Not really,” he answered, but he already had a pretty good idea. Even if he didn’t know exactly _where_ Wonwoo had gone, Junhui could take a guess at what he was doing. “Thanks, Mom. Guess I’m free for now.” He chuckled, rubbing the edge of the envelope at the tips of his fingers.

“Right, so go enjoy your summer for once,” she laughed, pinching his cheek. “Okay, I really gotta go. Love you.”

“Love you,” he replied automatically.

He heard the door opening and closing as he slid down from his seat and went to find a knife to open the letter. Wonwoo’s handwriting was neat and simple, nothing too ostentatious.

 

_Junhui,_

 

_I’m not certain how long I’ll be away, or whether I’ll return to Diamond Creek. It seems only fair to let you know that, although I heard and agreed with what we talked about last night, I can’t go through with it._

_What you’ve learned of the Clan over the past couple days—the extent of the harshness and cruelty goes well beyond what you’re capable of handling. I’ll spare you the details as to not completely crush your spirit. Trust me when I say that enduring my current situation is a much better alternative than trying to defy them. It would be nothing but a futile attempt. Think of the Elders as my own Park Jaehyun entity hovering over my shoulders. Some things are best left alone, despite how we wish we could change them._

_Foremost, thank you for keeping your word. Thank you for all your help at the house, for sharing a piece of yourself with me, for opening my eyes._

_Thank you for your kindness._

_-Wonwoo._

 

Was this it? His final goodbye?

Holding the letter in his hands, Junhui leaned back against the kitchen counter, his mind going blank. He wasn’t sure what he was feeling, if Wonwoo leaving made him sad or some other emotion he couldn’t identify. All he knew was that the letter left him in a lurch, and he didn’t know how to deal with these emotions rolling through him.

The screen door opened, and Minghao walked in. He was about to continue to the stairs, when he noticed his brother just standing there, staring into space. Which, to be fair, wasn’t that out of the ordinary, but something in his lifeless demeanor felt off. So he stopped and walked cautiously over.

“Jun? Are you okay?” he asked.

Snapping out of it, Junhui blinked rapidly, laughing a little. “Oh, yeah. I’m fine.”

“Okay,” Minghao said slowly, brows pinched. He glanced at the clock. “Shouldn’t you go finish getting ready?”

Junhui had showered and he thought he’d gotten dressed. However, looking at himself over, he realized he’d put on a pair of pajama bottoms instead. _Last time I am getting dressed half-asleep._

“Oh, right!” Folding the letter and inserting it back into its wrapper, he moved past Minghao and up the stairs to change. While he was at it, he messaged Soonyoung about the change of plans, and told him he’d come to the field and help with the preparations. He grabbed his bag on the way out, then ran straight to the barn to get his bike.

Minghao came out of the house seeing the younger walk the bike to the back of his truck. He came over to help, asking, “Aren’t you going to the Jeon House?”

“Wonwoo’s leaving town for a while,” he explained. “I’m gonna go check on the cats, then go offer Soonyoung a hand with the festival.”

“Where did he go?” Minghao closed the tailgate and went around to the driver’s side.

Junhui shrugged, getting into the truck. “I’m not sure.”

On top of Serenity Hill, Minghao helped him with the bike and wondered if Junhui wanted him to stick around. The younger thanked him, but declined the offer. Junhui knew his brother had a job to get to, and he was mostly going to hang out with Jelly for a few hours. As Minghao backed out of the driveway and drove down the hill, Junhui walked around to the basement.

Chip and Milky ran up and circled his feet, meowing excitedly. Giggling, he knelt down and petted them. Their mother called them a couple times, and Junhui looked over. Jelly had been doing better; she couldn’t go run and jump yet, but he’d seen her walking around the property a few times, when Wonwoo left the door open.

Junhui went over to the cabinet where their food was kept and refilled their bowl, before giving them cold water.

He played in the basement with them for a while, then he took them outside to get some fresh air and exercise. When they came back, he replenished their bowls to last them for the rest of the day, before heading out. They were so tired from the exercise, it didn’t take very long for the kittens to fall asleep. On his way, he made sure the window was open wide enough to let them in and out freely. Then quietly, he closed the basement door and returned to the front of the house.

Looking up at the building, he thought back to the little key he found in the nursery. Was it wrong to go snoop when Wonwoo wasn’t around? Technically, without Wonwoo here, Junhui was sort of trespassing on private property. But he gave him a key. That should count for something, right?

His phone rang, interrupting his snooping plans. “Hey, Hoshi.”

“Junnie, hi,” Soonyoung said. “I know you said you were coming to help in a little bit,” he continued, but his voiced sounded a few octaves short of full hysteria. “But uh... Can you come by now?”

“What’s going on?” Junhui asked as he headed for the bike.

On the other line, people were yelling something, but he couldn’t make out the words. Then came Soonyoung’s shriek. “Catch it! Catch it! It went around to the other side!”

“Soonyoung!” he called him. “What the heck is going on?”

Now the other boy was full-on panic mode. “Chaos! It’s like everything that could go wrong went wrong. The animals from the petting zoo somehow got out, and when the ferris wheel’s machinery crashed, they got spooked. Now they’re everywhere!”

“Oh, my god.” Junhui got on his bike. “Okay, I’ll be there as soon as possible.” Before they hung up, there was another crash, then screaming. Junhui pocketed his phone and pedaled as hard as he could in order to reach the field.

By the time he got on the scene, a whole circus had broken out. People were running amok, some chased after the small animals, while others had to do damage control for everything that the animals destroyed. The vendors’ booths and kiosks had been set up, but none of their owners were around. Half of the stages were abandoned mid construction, and however many rows of chairs there were on the lawn, seemed have been bulldozed over.

On the main stage, the curtains and props were currently being eaten by a goat.

“Oliver, no!” Hansol screamed as he sprinted up there to either save the stage or the goat from indigestion.

Chickens squawked deafeningly as they ran in every direction, leaving behind trails of feathers. “None of them has lost their heads!” Seungkwan shouted next, running with Chan. “Why are they so crazy?”

“Can’t we use a net or something?”

“There is none!”

“No! Don’t go there!” someone else lamented.

Pigs and sheep had gotten into the food cart, and its content spilled on the grass. The ponies, despite their size, outran the poor volunteers. The only animal he could see not doing any harm was the big mama cow, standing off in the shade of a big tree, munching on the grass while hell broke loose around her.

A shrill scream pierced through the already out of control noise level, making Junhui spin around in shock.

“Help!” A little girl, getting chased by an angry goose, cried.

Thinking fast, Junhui grabbed a piece of bread laying on the ground and threw it at the bird. The sudden object flying through the air and landing in front of it caused the goose to pause. In that short time, the girl found her reprieve, stopping some yards away to catch her breath. The goose, distracted by the food, forgot the chase and decided to eat instead.

Out of nowhere, a man jumped and tackled the bird, pressing its wings close to its body to avoid any injury. The terrified goose honked like crazy. When the man got a firm hold on the bird, he stood up, and Junhui realized that it was Mr. Jung, the man who volunteered to set up the petting zoo. He carried the goose to its cage and locked it.

“How many more of those are there?” Junhui asked.

Panting, Mr. Jung wiped his hands on his old jeans. “Four, that’s the last goose. Thanks, kid.”

“You’re welcome, but how did they even get out?” Looking at the cage, it looked solid. Besides, Mr. Jung had to transport them from his farm, and if they didn’t get out on the long ride, it meant that it wasn’t the fault of the cages’ inability to hold them down.

“I’m not so sure. All I know is that I got them here with no difficulty. I released them in the little pen, and they were fine. I turn my back for two minutes, and the next thing I know, they’re out!”

There wasn’t much time to stand there and speculate what could have happened. He carried the goose toward the pen and set the cage down with the rest of the other animals. During the time it took them to catch that goose, a big pig and her piglets had been lured in, along with two sheep and the curtain-eating goat. The chickens were still loose, though, and the ducks had escaped to the creek. At least the ducks didn’t do as much damage. Once the initial shock that the animals had escaped their enclosure subsided, the volunteers were able to round most of them in. The big and slow ones were easiest, such as Molly, the mama cow. A gentle hand and soft words were enough to guide her toward her original place.

A few minutes after Junhui’s arrival, the other farmers had also come to give a hand. With more professionals on the scene, the mayhem got under control within the hour. Not all of them were caught at the end of the next hour, but the farmers and their kids had brought more than enough food to entice each errant creature back toward the pen, with the volunteers walking the perimeter to ensure the animals wouldn’t make a break for it. By early afternoon, they managed to get all of them into the corral. Or so Junhui thought.

“Does anyone see Skipper?” Mr. Jung asked, going around counting his animals. Charles, his oldest son, walked around the fence, trying to see.

“Don’t see him,” he answered.

Mr. Jung turned to Junhui and the rest of the volunteers. They were still trying to catch their breaths and not dwell on the smell and stains stuck to their clothes. “Skipper’s the little baby sheep. Has anyone seen him?”

Murmurs and chatter started among the volunteers. When Junhui glanced at Soonyoung sitting on one of the chairs nearby, the latter gave him a pained expression.

“Why is it always the little ones that cause the most trouble?” he grumbled, exhausted.

Junhui couldn’t help laughing at that, remembering the one time Soonyoung had made the joke concerning Jihoon, only to balk and run away when the musician glared at him. “I don’t know, ‘cause they can fit into most places and hide?”

Soonyoung laughed. “Maybe he went to take a nap. I wanna nap, too!”

Since no one could think up of where Skipper could had gone after a thorough sweep of the field, Mr. Jung decided to leave out some food for the little guy, hoping he would come out of hiding when the crowd dissipated. Now that most of the disaster was over with, everyone took turns going to the bathroom to clean up briefly before taking a short break. Afterward, they split up into groups to cover more ground in picking up trash and spilled food, rearranging chairs and tents, while the technicians tried to fix their machines and stages.

At the end of the day, Junhui was boneless. His skin felt sticky, his hair looked even worse than a bird’s nest, and he had barely any strength left. He all but collapsed on the grass and leaned back against the trunk of a huge tree, hiding from the afternoon sun in its shade. Without having to support his weight any longer, his legs stretched out on their own accord, weighing a ton.

Soonyoung joined him, completely laying down on the grass.

Junhui said, “I would take the house renovation any day over this.”

His friend groaned, putting an arm over his face to block out the sun. “I hear ya. Thank you for helping out.”

“No problem.”

Too tired to talk, they sat there for a few minutes, unwinding.

“Are we going to be able to open on schedule?” Junhui asked him.

“If tomorrow goes well,” he replied. “I will make everyone check everything three times before they can move on to doing something else.”

Letting out a laugh, the other nodded. “Good idea.”

The short break gave Soonyoung enough energy to sit up, resting his weight on his palms. “So I’m assuming you’ll be able to come tomorrow, too?”

The reminder that Wonwoo was gone brought up the unfamiliar feeling in his stomach again, but Junhui played it cool. Hiding it well, he nodded as he stretched his arms over his head. “Yeah, what time do you want me here?”

“Well, according to the schedules,” Soonyoung thought, “The technicians are getting here around seven before everyone else to check the rides. The less people around, the less are going to be hurt if another piece fell out.” Shaking his head, he closed his eyes in a tired way. “I seriously thought we had to cancel the festival this morning.”

“You said everything that could go wrong went wrong,” Junhui recalled, “What else happened other than the animals escaping?”

Soonyoung sighed heavily, reliving the moment. “You know the attraction with all the swings? Once it starts, the center spins all the seats super fast?” Junhui nodded, and he continued, “On a trial run, one of the seats’ bolts either broke or never got screwed tightly enough. The machine began to spin, and then suddenly the swing escaped, flying into the air. Thank goodness it crashed into the empty lot we set apart for parking.”

“Geez,” Junhui blew out a breath. “Everyone was okay, then?”

“Yeah, just all freaked out. We didn’t even calm down for two seconds that the farm animals escaped.”

Shaking his head, Junhui let his gaze wander over to the thinning crowd. Everyone was beginning to leave for home to get some rest in order to attack tomorrow and catch up on the time spent chasing after chickens today.

“Good thing Wonwoo isn’t in town,” Soonyoung said, pulling him back to the conversation. “Otherwise he’d get the blame.”

Junhui agreed, adding, “Right, but something tells me he’s gonna get it anyway.”

“God, I hate those people,” Soonyoung grumbled, and they laughed.

“He got blamed for his own house getting set on fire,” Junhui reminded him, and the latter snorted.

“Yeah, I heard of that. Listening to them, you’d think Jeon Wonwoo was some kind of demon!” He laughed, and it took Junhui a second before joining him, somewhat nervously. Thankfully, Soonyoung was so tired that he didn’t notice the hesitation.

“So what are you gonna do with yourself while he’s gone?” he asked a minute later.

“What do you mean?”

“You’ve been spending pretty much all your time with him,” Soonyoung smirked and wiggled his brows, bumping their shoulders together.

Laughing, Junhui corrected the statement. “I’ve been spending my time renovating, you know, working diligently.”

“Psht,” Soonyoung rolled his yes. “Yeah, right. Whatever you say. I’m sure you were very diligent in your efforts not to drool over him.”

“Shut up!” Junhui shoved his cackling friend, cheeks warm for something completely irrelevant to the heat of the summer. “That’s never happened!”

Still cackling, Soonyoung patted his arm. “Alright, alright. You’re so fun to tease. It’s hilarious.”

“Hmph.” Junhui pouted, but that only made his friend laugh harder and then coo at him.

“We both know you think he’s hot. Don’t even deny it.”

Junhui refused to give him more ammunition to tease him with, preferring to feign interest in the butterfly that came over instead.

Sure, Jeon Wonwoo was a very good looking guy, but that wasn’t the reason why he kept coming back to work (although he won’t lie to himself and say it wasn’t a bonus). Besides, he doubted Soonyoung would still push him to spend time alone with Wonwoo if the younger knew just what he was.

“We’re just... friends,” Junhui told him once the butterfly left. Because they were, right? he asked himself. He and Wonwoo knew things about each other that their own families didn’t. It had to qualify as being friends at the very least.

However, Soonyoung took the short pause and hesitation as something else. “Uh-huh, the ‘just friends’ line. As if I hadn’t heard it before. As if _I_ hadn’t used it before.”

Seeing an opening, he took it. “Speaking of… How’s Seokmin?”

His reaction was priceless. The blush rose from his neck to his cheeks regardless of his attempt to wave it off. “He’s doing good.”

“That’s it?” Junhui laughed, his turn to nudge the other now.

Knotting then undoing his fingers together, Soonyoung didn’t look at him, hoping the blush and giddiness would subside, probably. “What else do you want me to say?”

“For starters, you could provide a little more detail about how the date went. I mean, all I got was that you had a nice time. How am I supposed to be nosy if I’ve got nothing to go off of?” he kid, and Soonyoung laughed, eyes squinted into little slits.

“Personally, I don’t think we’ve stepped over to the ‘more than friends’ zone,” he admitted. “But we are talking more often, which has proved difficult with his job and mine.” Junhui smiled, glad it was going well for his friends. “Still, you know, I wonder if I really want it to get serious.”

“What are you talking about? You’ve been _stalking_ the guy.”

Ignoring his attempt at humor, Soonyoung explained, “The more we hang out and talk, the more I value this friendship. I don’t want to ruin it by going out and risking us never speaking again.”

“Aww,” he nudged their shoes. “Just take things slow and see where they lead you. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?”

Soonyoung laughed. “Yeah, guess so. It’s just a little scary.”

That he could understand. With an encouraging smile, he said, “You’ve still got time. There’s no rush, right?”

Soonyoung nodded, smile bright.

Behind them, they heard the rumbling of metal. They looked toward the sound to see Mr. Jung and Charles move the farm animals into the makeshift barn for the night. The area might not have crazy wild animals, but sometimes wolves and cougars did come down from the mountains, especially if they smell or hear their dinner in the middle of a field, unprotected. So with that, all the volunteers left for home and finally got themselves cleaned up.

 

When Junhui returned the next morning, the rides were starting to get tested, and the farm animals had been released from their nightly housing unit. Charles and Mr. Jung were taking care of that corner of the fair, although Skipper the baby sheep was still missing. The food they had left out for him as an attempt to bring him back had been untouched. Junhui hoped the little guy hadn’t run away.

The ferris wheel seemed fine as far as he could see, spinning and stopping at the touch of the technician’s commands. Further down, other rides went ahead with their own test-runs, insuring that this afternoon's festivities would go according to plan.

Some consenting teens and adults served as guinea pigs onboard, getting free rides ahead of the crowd. He knew that it had to be relatively safe now that they allowed humans to get on, but he still remembered what Soonyoung said about the swings. Still rather too risky for his taste. If they needed volunteers for the carrousel, he would gladly accept. Of course, aside from seeing if the horses and tigers went up and down and all around was as far as testing went for the merry-go-round, unfortunately. As for the other technical aspects regarding the stages and the hanging decorative lights, they required workers to run back and forth between outlets and main generators to make sure that the current wouldn’t go over and cause a blackout.

When he walked through the booths and tents to find Soonyoung and the guys from the committee, he saw the vendors setting up their products and chatting with one another. At the end of the walkway, he spotted his friends. They had brought out two coolers and discussing the map when he got there.

“Hi,” he greeted them. “What’s on the agenda?”

“Hey, Jun!” Hansol smiled, as the others did the same, briefing him.

Seungkwan glanced at his piece of paper. “I’ll go with Chan to get the ice. It’s right by the cars, so we can pick up the signs, too.”

“Sounds good,” Chan nodded. “Who said they had the refreshments?”

“ _Swimming Fools_ ,” Hansol answered.

“Yeah, they’re right around the corner,” Soonyoung commented. “We can go grab the packs,” he gestured to Junhui and Hansol, and they nodded. “I’m sure everyone will appreciate a cold drink once the midday heat hits.”

They all went to do their respective duties, then came back to stock the coolers and leave them in the main tent. Seungkwan and Chan distributed out signs to each one of them to tape around the field to show people where bathrooms and sitting areas were, along with labels for the rows so people knew where they were and where each type of kiosk was located.

Around lunch break, the performers for this evening’s play showed up. The committee boys gave them the usual speech concerning emergencies, etc., then sent them toward the stage where they could talk with the staging crew. As the day progressed, more staff members began to show up. By late afternoon, the security agents and a few officers drove into the lot. Even though he tried to hide it, it was so obvious who Soonyoung was trying to spot among the crowd. Unfortunately, Seokmin was not appointed for this evening.

Close to opening time, around four, the smell of popcorn and cotton candy called out to Junhui’s sweet tooth. The other stands got started with their respective delicious heart attack on a paper plate. Fried foods and sugar. _Yum_... for the first few minutes. After a while standing in the middle of all that, his stomach began to turn sickly. He was glad that when it came time to set up the Welcoming tables at the entrance, he had been desensitized.

Even though there wasn’t an entrance fee, they accepted donations and sold raffle tickets. Hansol, Chan, and Seungkwan set up one table on one side of the entrance walkway, while Soonyoung and Junhui sat on the other. On each table they had a box to collect money, hats and bags for anyone who wanted to buy one, along with extra maps and cold water bottles.

“Thank you. Enjoy yourselves!” Junhui wished a family of four as they gave them a handful of bills.

The stream of people stayed constant for the first couple hours, then dwindled a little after that, which just served to show that there really wasn’t that many people in town, even with the other towns next door coming over.

Returning with two food trays, Soonyoung grabbed his seat. “Man, the line for burgers took twice as long as the fresh fruits.”

Junhui laughed. “And you’re surprised? Thanks.” He picked up a French fry and began to munch on their dinner.

“Not really, but it’s still just burgers,” Soonyoung shrugged, grabbing a water bottle from the cooler behind them. “If it were something more exotic, I’d understand.”

“Clearly, you haven’t seen the line for the Asian grills, huh? It’s winding around to the other side.”

“Whoa,” he took a bite of the cheeseburger. “Guess it was a smart choice to put them on the end of the row, otherwise the tents on either side would be completely blocked off by the line.”

“Yep,” Junhui agreed. “So how long do we have to sit here?”

“Officially, closing time is twelve-thirty, but we need to get this money back to the main tent before Mr. and Mrs. Lee leave.”

“What about the people who come afterward?”

“I doubt the ones who come after eleven will want to give us free money,” Soonyoung commented.

“That’s a good point.”

Later in the evening, they began to empty the box and account for the money for tonight, inputting the amount into the laptop. A few minutes later, Seungkwan came over and wrote down the profit from their table, too. Then the younger volunteered to take the money to Chan’s parents since he was heading for that direction to find some drinks.

The dance music blasting through the intercoms lowered in volume slightly as the stage lights turned on. They glanced back to see the crowd moving toward the seats to wait for the show. The pamphlet let Junhui know that the troop was performing a modernized version of Shakespeare’s _A Midsummer Night’s Dream_. The first few lines echoed through the field, and Junhui noted that they used the Sparknotes version so everyone could understand what they were saying.

“We are now officially off-duty!” Soonyoung cheered then. Junhui turned back to see the boys cleaning up, waving at them.

“Cool!” He grinned. “Let’s go walk around for bit, see if we can win some stuffed animals.”

“As if you need more of them,” Soonyoung laughed, but followed him anyway.

Not surprising to anyone, they didn’t win anything at the various games, even after they both emptied their wallets for tokens and tickets. They had fun, nevertheless.

“There should’ve been a way to install an ATM machine around,” Soonyoung kid, sipping on his lemonade.

“Yeah, and by the end of the night you’ll be left with nothing,” he told him with a shake of the head. “Spending fifty bucks each on just games and cotton candy in one night is plenty.”

Soonyoung let out a series of incomprehensible gibberish and cries, then burst out laughing.

Blinking at the weirdness of it, Junhui erupted in giggles, too.

“Oh, god. I am so hyper from the sugar.”

Junhui nodded, catching his breath.

Walking around, they had no other choice than watching people play and cheering for them seeing as they had completely emptied their wallets. At one of the games, they ran into Mingyu and Jihoon.

“Hellooo!” Mingyu grinned when he saw them.

“Hi!” Junhui stared at Jihoon in surprise. “I thought you wouldn’t be back until next week.”

“Yeah, but I finished the project early,” Jihoon explained. “Thought I’d get some time to sleep, but the giant puppy dragged me out.”

“Oh, come on, Jihoon. You know you’re having fun,” Mingyu said, canines flashing.

“Meh.” Noisily, he slurped at his drink.

“When did you get here?” Soonyoung wondered. “We didn’t even see you at the gate.”

“Maybe an hour ago? We carpooled with the dads and baby Violet,” Mingyu said.

“Oh, they’re here, too?” Soonyoung exclaimed. “Cool! Maybe we’ll see them around later.”

Junhui nodded happily.

“Either one of you wanna go against me?” Mingyu motioned for the water shooting game, where each player held a water gun and had to aim for the opening to fill up the tube before the others.

“What about Jihoon?” Soonyoung asked, nodding to the blond.

“Sore loser,” Mingyu snickered, then dodged the kick aimed at his butt.

“I am not,” Jihoon shook his head with a sigh. “You’re an annoying winner.”

“But still a winner!” Mingyu taunted their friend, then turned to the other boys. “So, who’s up for a challenge?”

Junhui raised his arm in the air enthusiastically. “I would! But… we’re both broke.”

“Dang, already? Did you just spend everything on snacks?” 

“No!” Junhui laughed. “We tried out the claw machines.”

“Well, that explains it. You’re so naive, Jelly Beans. You can’t win against those machines.”

“We were hoping to get lucky!”

“Okay, quick question,” Soonyoung cut in. “If you’ve been winning, where are the prizes?” Looking around, Junhui now noticed that neither him nor Jihoon had any stuffed animal or plastic toys in front of them.

Jihoon sighed, speaking slowly. “He’s been giving them out to every person he’s bumped into or caused them to spill their stuff, hoping they would overlook the fact that he’s a magnet for freak accidents.”

“I am not!” Mingyu argued, stepping forward, only to hit his shin against the metal bar running on the bottom of the counter as foot rest. “God dammit!” he gritted his teeth, hissing as he jumped back.

“Exactly,” Jihoon noted as if that was all the evidence he needed. Junhui tried not to laugh seeing as Mingyu did hit it pretty hard, but it was a little hard not to when Jihoon just sat there commenting on the whole thing with such a calm and composed expression. In retrospect, their friend group has seen it enough by now that it became as normal as breathing. Still, he resorted to rub Mingyu’s shoulder soothingly.

“I don’t see you getting prizes.” No longer jumping up and down, Mingyu pointed that fact out in a challenge.

Jihoon stared back at him with a blank expression, then he let his gaze move over to the row of game kiosks behind them. “Wanna bet?” he asked, his eyes already locked on a stand. “If I can manage to shoot down all the targets, you gotta win and carry that giant and ugly teddy bear for the rest of the night.” He pointed at one of the grand prizes on the wall.

Soonyoung and Junhui stared at each other, then at the bear. It was the gaudiest and most horrendous bear he’d ever seen, that was for sure. Its fur was hot pink, and it had a neon green tiara with white and red rhine stones of all sizes. Around the neck was a plastic ‘diamond’ necklace matching the bracelets and rings painted gold. To make matters worse, its features looked deformed and oddly shaped.

Mingyu gave this one some thought, examining the game to gauge the difficulty of the challenge. “How about if you can’t?”

“Then I have to win and carry that thing around,” Jihoon said.

After another moment of deliberation, Mingyu nodded resolutely. “Deal!”

With a confident nod and grin, Jihoon got up from his seat and walked over to the kiosk. He chatted with the manager while he paid him and grabbed the toy bow and arrow. He squared his shoulders and took aim. The first arrow flew through the air and punctured the center.

Glancing at Mingyu, again Junhui tried not to giggle at his expression as he watched the scene. Jihoon grabbed another arrow and moved down the line, arms steady, and fired. Another perfect shot. Mingyu began to pout, and Junhui repressed his giggles, patting his back. In less than a minute, Jihoon shot down all five targets, and scoring the highest.

Mingyu’s mouth hung open, causing Soonyoung to nudge him to remind him to close it. He shook it out, just as Jihoon came back, a smug expression on his face. He threw the carrot plushie he won at Junhui.

“You were so cool!” The Gemini Twins exclaimed at once.

“No way,” Mingyu ran a hand through his hair. “How did you do that?”

Jihoon shrugged. “When you’re good, you’re good. Now, what did we say you had to do again?”

Grumbling, Mingyu went up to the counter and paid for more tokens, then parked himself at one of the station, angrily squirting water into the tube. “This is so unfair!”

“Seriously,” Soonyoung laughed, “I know you were part of the archery club in high school, but I didn’t know you kept with it.”

The younger laughed, shaking his head. “Not really. I think it was mostly luck.”

“Wow,” Soonyoung nodded in appreciation. “You really _are_ amazing, Jihoonie!”

Next to them, Mingyu kept grumbling, not quite hitting the mark for the giant bear, which meant he had to spend his money until he won it. The longer he took, the more money he had to spend, yet the faster he reached his goal, the sooner he’d have to walk around with a huge ugly bear. What a conflicting situation!

Soonyoung and Junhui left them to sort the rest of the deal out, and continued to tour the grounds, hoping to see their other friends around, too.

“You know,” Soonyoung started, “I kinda figured Mingyu would have shown up with Minghao.”

“Yeah. But I think the witch kidnapped him.”

They both grimaced and wrinkled their noses, laughing together.

“Mingyu should just confess,” Soonyoung said. “Things would be so much better!”

“Like how you should confess to Seokmin?”

“Not the same!”

Junhui rolled his eyes. “If you say so, Hoshi.”

As the night went on, and the boys got back into the routine that had built up from years and years of friendship, Junhui came to realize how much he had missed him and their boring summer. Lately, with Wonwoo on his mind and that Clan and everything that came along with it, Junhui had almost forgotten how good it felt to not worry about things like that. To just enjoy summer for what it was: a break in the year where he got the chance to spend time with his friends and family. Where he didn’t have to worry about what was inside of him, and what a distant clan of demons might do to one of their own if he even dared to have an independent thought.

Now that Wonwoo was gone, it felt as if he took with him those worries. As if he hadn’t come to Diamond Creek in the first place. Junhui could push out their conversations and lock them away, focusing only on the silly and ridiculous things he and Soonyoung saw and talked about now.

For a little while, Junhui would pretend that Wonwoo leaving was a good thing.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

“ _I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation, and the only explanation I can find, is the love that I've found ever since you've been around, your love's put me at the top of the world,_ ” Hana’s voice singing the Carpenters’ song filled the stage.

Junhui was honestly quite amazed at the fact that she sounded so good, but he kept to his duties. It was Tuesday morning, and apart from the little kids enjoying themselves at the fair, anyone over twenty was either home or at work. The festivities wouldn’t start until tonight, when the Talent Show took place. Right now, the contestants were rehearsing and doing sound checks.

The final list didn’t get determined until yesterday, with a total of seven acts. While the staging crew worked with each participant to get the right feel and atmosphere for the individuals, Junhui and his friends set up the judges table and the ballots. Since Chan’s parents were in charge of the financial affairs of the fest, he was the designated treasurer. At the moment, he took care of the cash prizes.

Once the boys pulled up and assembled the tables and chairs at the front right of the stage for the three guest judges, Hansol volunteered to grab refreshments and snacks for them. Junhui went to the main tent to pick up the blank sheets for the judges to make notes and write down scores.

_Top of the World_ wound down the last notes, and he looked up at the stage. Figured Hana would choose that song. If she had it her way, he was sure she would find a way to become the next dictator. Right now, she replaced the mic on the stand and moved over, letting Ho Jihyun come up for her song. The pop song started up, and she nervously took the mic. Scared, she unconsciously breathed into it, causing the echoes to shriek. The music got cut, and the staging director came over to talk softly with her, trying to calm her down. If Jihyun was this nervous when there was practically no one watching her, she might faint or worse, get sick tonight. Barfing all over the judges was not the right way to be noticed.

As they continued to talk, Jihyun nodding quickly, rubbing her palms on her jeans. Junhui turned his eyes to the left side of the stage. Hana was standing there, her arms crossed over her chest. Curious, Junhui watched what she was doing.

Unlike the others, she hadn’t needed any coaching or further practice. She was seemingly a pro. Then what was she still doing on stage? Her eyes scanned the empty seats in the audience. Was she counting how many there were? From where he stood, he couldn’t be sure, but it looked like it. _Geez_. Done inflating her self-worth, she finally left the stage and climbed down onto good old terra firma. Shaking his head, again Junhui wondered what Minghao saw in her. Everyday, he was more and more convinced that she must have put something in his brother’s food. Or used hypnotism.

“No, no, no! Wait, can we have a spotlight at that point?” Chad, even in rehearsal, felt the need to wear his magician’s outfit. The cape and bright colors made him look even flashier than usual. His sister was at the switch panel, trying to please her brother’s flamboyant personality by adjusting the lights.

“Is it gonna be even dark enough for one to be noticeable?” she questioned, turning back to Mr. Cyrus, one of the stage staff.

“When are you coming on?” he asked.

“Toward the end,” she said.

Chad quipped, “The very last slot. They know to keep the best for last!” When he saw Junhui giggling down here, he gave him a thumbs up and grinned. Junhui waved in response.

Jihyun’s Top 40 pick played back, and this time, she took a breath and let it out away from the microphone she held. A couple beats in, she placed the mic in front of her and sang. Objectively, her voice wasn’t as strong and good as Hana’s, but it was refreshing. Junhui actually sort of liked it. He found a seat on the front row and watched her performance, clapping encouragingly at the end. She looked down and smiled shyly at him and the others who had taken notice, then went backstage with her mom.

Since his morning duties only consisted of prepping the judges tables with their cards and note paper, he was pretty much done. He could either go check out the vendors for trinkets, or sit back and watch rehearsal. The latter didn’t involve him spending money on things he didn’t need (and get scolded by Minghao later), so he stayed put. For the most part, the fair was empty in the regular daytime, so it was nice to just sit back and do nothing for a few hours. Glancing behind him, he saw a group of kids playing tag, running through the rows of chairs. They laughter broke through the current silence in between performers, and he smiled.

As he followed them with his eyes, he caught Hana sitting toward the back, a coffee in hand. She noticed him staring at her, but like usual, she totally ignored him. With a relieved shrug, he turned back when he heard the next act come on stage. Since Chad’s magical exploit was supposed to be a surprise for everyone but Soonyoung and Junhui, he had talked Mr. Cyrus into giving him a screen and a corner of the stage so he could practice in secret. It was rather amusing to see Siwon and his band come on with their drum sets and guitars and amps, then off to the side having Chad’s little magic camp.

Siwon went to school with them, too, although Junhui didn’t talk to him much.He was more of Jihoon’s friend. Nice guy, though.

The smell of popcorn ptompted Junhui turn to his right, spotting Soonyoung coming over with a huge bag. His friend plopped down next to him and offered him some. “This is the kind of work I love,” he munched on the snack.

Junhui agreed with a laugh, grabbing a handful. “Yeah, this is pretty great.”

They watched the guys launch into one of their original songs, an upbeat pop rock number. It was catchy, he realized, when they finished and the chorus still lingered in his head. He wondered if Jihoon had a part in it, too.

“Did you see how Hana keeps on moving around?” Soonyoung whispered conspiratorially.

Junhui hadn’t particularly paid attention, but there she was. She had moved up a few rows, sitting toward the left of the stage now. “Maybe she’s playing musical chairs,” he kid.

Soonyoung snorted, rolling his eyes. “More like she’s checking out how she should move while on stage so _everyone_ can see her, no matter where they sit.”

“Eh,” he shrugged, choosing not to get involved in her business.

For the rest of the day, the boys relaxed and hung out, giving a hand whenever anyone requested one. More people arrived as the day progressed. About thirty minutes before the show, more than half of the seats were getting filled. The judges had arrived a little earlier, and they were informed of the list and how the whole thing will go. In between each performance, they will have about five minutes to discuss with each other. At the end of the show, they will get a max of fifteen minutes to decide on the winner and two runner-ups.

Now they waited for the last few minutes before Seungkwan came on stage to announce the commencement, and introduce the first act. Hansol, Chan, Soonyoung, and Junhui stood on either side of the stage ready to help carry in props and equipment to move the show along and not waste any time.

The bright lights illuminated the whole stage, and applause greeted Seungkwan as she stepped into the center. “Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to our annual summer festival! Tonight in our talent show, we have seven fantastic performances that are sure to amaze you.” He glanced at the index card in front of him and gestured with an arm over the front tables. “To help us determine tonight’s winners, here are our judges: Mrs. Darlene Williams, Mrs. Huang Bora, and Mr. Martin Gray. A round of applause for our guests.”

The crowd welcomed the three members, while they waved and took their seats again.

“Alright,” Seungkwan grinned. “For our first act, you have all come to enjoy their unique take on classic jazz hits. Here’s _Jazz It Up!_ ”

Everyone cheered and hooted for Bernie and his friends. Junhui grabbed one of the stands and ran on stage, giving them a hand with setting up, then retired back into the wings. The men fixed their microphones, and Bernie gave a quick hello before they launched into their song.

The audience loved them, and everything went smoothly until about the middle of the song. Suddenly, the audio got cut off. The band stopped, giving themselves and the audience puzzled looks. The tech people checked the wires and the panel, but everything apparently worked fine. Bravely, the band tried to sing without the help of the mics, straining to be heard in the back row. Junhui stood there helplessly, watching with a nervous feeling in his stomach, hoping that it could soon be sorted out.

A sharp sound made him turn his attention from the techs toward the stage. The band had stopped playing again. Henry, the lead guitarist held his left hand away from his instrument, while he inspected the strings. With a closer look, Junhui realized that the strings had snapped, cutting his fingers, which was why he didn’t want to get his guitar dirty.

Quicker than anyone could even think, Seungkwan went out on stage again, apologizing for the technical difficulties to the audience, then asked if Henry was okay. The band had to come back in. Henry’s hand didn’t look serious, but he couldn’t play pain-free for at least a couple days.

“Let’s wish Henry a good recovery,” Seungkwan said now, trying to keep his smile in place. “Although, I’m sure that he is quite happy that nothing happened to his baby, foremost,” he kid, slowly steering this wreck. “Next, get ready to have your cute meter overloaded. _Smile Flowers_ , ladies and gentlemen!”

At their cues, the five and six year olds dance team walked on stage, getting the desired “aw’s” and “how adorable!” responses. They were dressed in their dancing outfits, all fifteen of them. While waiting for the music to start, they looked anxiously at one another. Having seen them earlier, though, Junhui knew they were no amateurs. Despite their age, they were more graceful than most people.

Keeping time with the song, they twirled and jumped, mixing all sorts of dance moves, and yet making the whole routine work in a coherent manner. The entire song played, leading up to the final number. A little girl with pigtails jumped, but instead of landing on the balls of her feet, she hit the floor at the last second, twisting her ankle and falling into the formation. Before Junhui could even register her fall, her cries drowned the music. Everything cut off, then the parents rushed in, picking up their treasures.

As a precaution, at least two paramedics had to be appointed at the fair at all times. Now they got to work carrying the kids to the back tent and tending to their injuries.

“What the hell is going on?” Soonyoung hissed. “Rehearsals were _perfect_.”

“I don’t know,” Junhui answered, watching as Seungkwan hurried to the front again, calming everyone down, and began to introduce Ho Jihyun. “When things are too perfect, expect the worse to come, I guess,” he commented. “Hopefully nothing as bad happens next.”

“Unless she gets hit over the head by the light stands,” Soonyoung muttered darkly, watching Jihyun like a hawk, as if ready to save the poor girl against the horrific image he had just conjured up. “I will honestly dive out and save her myself,” he vowed out loud.

Thankfully, nothing like falling klieg lights hurt her; however after two verses, Jihyun just lost her voice. She stepped back from the mic, coughing a few times. When she turned to them and tried to speak, nothing more than whispers came out. Another contestant plagued by a freak accident. The paramedic pulled her over to check her throat, but apart from suddenly losing her voice, she seemed fine.

Again, Seungkwan took the lead and welcomed Malcolm Fox, the guy who would be demonstrating his archery skills. As he set up, Soonyoung and Junhui shared a look, praying that no one will get killed. The archer stood on the right side of the stage, his target placed at the end of the opposite side. For him, the stage lights shone at their brightest settings. He pulled back on his bow, the whole stage and seating area kept absolutely still, which was how they heard the crack.

Confused at the sound, he lowered his arm. The bow had split. While he stood there, completely at a loss, Chan grabbed his second bow and ran up to trade him. He thanked the younger boy, then tried to take aim again. The first shot he took, the arrow flew straight into the bullseye. They all let out a sigh of relief. The second one, he tried a different pose, a fancier one. Again, in rehearsal, he hit the mark every time, no matter the fancy poses. Now, after three tries, he couldn’t even hit the target, much less the bullseye. Finishing all his arrows, he only managed to get two in. Defeated (and frustrated), Malcolm stormed off the stage.

Because of all these accidents, they had to take a short intermission in order to check and make sure that everything went all right for the remaining three acts. The audience was restless, and the judges came up to ask about the contestants, hoping they were all being taken care of. Twenty minutes later, they resumed the program. Probably because of what happened, the seats were even more crowded than earlier, people’s morbid curiosity taking the better of them.

Of course, as the universe would have it, the next performer was Hana. To her credit, she did look worried when she stepped on, glancing up at the lights in hope that they won’t fall on her head. Maybe she did fear karma. The music started on her cue. Whether it was because they had done a thorough inspection right before she came on, or because she was just lucky, Junhui wasn’t sure. The thing was, she was able to sing the whole song without any challenge. Her voice did shake a little due to the anxiety of potentially getting hit over the head, but apart from that, it went fine.

The good fortune seemed to continue when Siwon and his band came on, performing their entire piece. But to end on a good note would be too much to ask, because as they wrapped up, everything short-circuited. Once they got back their wits, they all groaned with apprehension. Everything was fried. The only one who didn’t suffer was Dave, the drummer. They cleared the stage, their shoulders slumped.

“Just one more,” Soonyoung commented with a sigh, hands clasped in prayers. “Chad just needs some light, right? No mics, no instruments, no amps. He should be fine,” he repeated a couple times, chewing the top of his thumb.

“I hope so too, Hoshi,” Junhui said, watching the stage as Seungkwan introduced them and retired to the wings again. “Good thoughts. He’s going to be great!”

The racks of light overhead turned on, as bright as when Malcolm had demonstrated his archery. Chad wheeled out a small table, on it were his sticker-happy saw and the satin cloth. As expected, he had dressed up for the part, going even beyond his usual flamboyant suits and colors. Unlike what he had done before, he didn’t speak other than telling the audience what they were about to see him do. First, he gestured grandly at the saw, flipping it back and forth to show that it was, in fact, a “real” saw, not a plastic toy. Then he cocked his head to Janet, who picked up the cloth and shook it out into the wind, flipping both front and back to show that it was nothing but a green satin cloth.

Taking a seat at the end of the table, he pulled up his pant leg, moving his ankle and foot this way and that to make sure people saw it was his real leg. Then Janet placed the cloth over the spot he was about to amputate. He took the audience in, grinning, before he handled the saw that Janet extended out for him. Holding his breath in a dramatic manner, he positioned the sharp edge on the fabric sheet where his ankle would be. As he had practiced and shown them at the audition, he brought the silver and gleaming blade down in one swift motion, from left to right.

The scream that escaped his lips and the sound of the saw as it hit the floor flooded the whole stage and seating area. Janet began to hyperventilate, then she fainted. Sharp gasps and exclamations rose from the audience. Frozen in place, Junhui saw the red liquid licking the blade and tainting the wood planks. The techs and paramedics rushed past him, in order to get to Chad and Janet. Junhui couldn’t move. He just stood there, staring as they grabbed the cloth and pressed it around Chad’s ankle to stop the gush of blood. Another picked up Janet and checked for her vital stats.

It wasn’t until Soonyoung grabbed his arm and yanked him down to the steps that Junhui snapped out of it. The two stood on the grass, a few feet from the chaos. The security guards rushed in at that point, too, guiding the audience toward the rest of the fair so that the professionals could have room to work.

“Chad... Chad cut off his own leg,” Junhui breathed, his eyes wild. “How could he even do that? The saw was supposed to be a fake one, the one he uses for his tricks!”

“I don’t know!” Soonyoung shook his head, lost for words, too. “I bugged him about it. I even played with it. It’s a fake! I don’t know how this could’ve happened.”

“We should’ve put an end to the whole show after the kids fell.”

“Until then, everything led to just freak accidents,” Soonyoung tried to justify their inaction. “And then Hana sang fine, and Siwon almost made it...” He sighed, shaking his head and looking upward.

“I hope it looks worse than it is,” Junhui said. “I mean, he couldn’t have cut too deep, right?”

Shifting his weight side to side, Soonyoung tried to catch glimpses at the events up there, but the boys couldn’t see anything with all the people in the way. “He’s in good hands,” was all he could say at that point.

As if the situation wasn’t stressful enough, overhead in the trees a very loud and annoying pair of crows kept squawking and screeching. Junhui felt like his head was about to explode. Groaning, he turned around, ready to yell at them to make them quiet down.

“Oh, my god.” His eyes still glued to them, he grabbed Soonyoung and pointed to the crook in the branches where they stood. “Hoshi, look!”

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Soonyoung gagged a few times, turning away.

Standing over what was left of the carcass, the black crows had their beaks covered in a layer of blood. The poor body of Skipper the baby sheep laid open, his insides picked and eaten.

“Boys! Let’s go!” The security guard spotted them and waved for the pair to get out of there. As they followed his orders, Soonyoung hooked his elbow into his friend’s as if afraid Junhui might disappear, too. The other hand, he placed on his stomach to keep him from throwing up.

His mind still reeling, Junhui tried to do the same, squeezing Soonyoung’s fingers. He wasn’t queasy around blood, but with everything going on, his brain felt like it was getting assaulted by a million of things.

Making their way through the chairs now askew and flipped over, his foot kicked onto something. Since their arms were still linked, Soonyoung had no choice but to stop when Junhui did.

“What’s wrong, Jun?”

He crouched down, picking up a small glass bottle. It was a reddish color, with a cap, a long neck, and round bottom. An almost replica of the flask he had found on the Jeon property a couple weeks ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNNN!!! 😱 POOR SKIPPER THE SHEEP! 😭 The mysterious bottle! The freak accidents! but were they really accidents??? 👀 stay tuned...
> 
> but hey, at least we got to see Jihoon finally! :D
> 
> next week, soonhui shall play detectives lol. hope to see you then!  
> xoxoxo
> 
> P.S.: [this](https://youtu.be/6gRiWWcBKvs) is the song Hana was singing. as shady and awful as she is, i do have to say that she really DOES think the world of Hao. doesn't excuse her behavior, but still.


	18. Obsession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SoonHui investigate their suspect(s) and discover a creepy ritual.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting wild, you guys! Let's see how your guesses and theories worked out 
> 
> -

 

 

While the crowd was still slowly being led out of the stage area, Junhui took the opportunity to ditch the security guards. Soonyoung still had no idea what his friend had just found, but he kept quiet as Junhui gestured for him to crouch down and hide behind the chairs. The field, dark now that the show was over, allowed the boys to navigate from the upturned rows to the fringe where the tall trees could hide them from view. Sneaking a peek from behind the trunk of a maple tree, Junhui made sure that no security personnel lingered behind.

“ _Now_ can I know what’s going on?” Soonyoung whispered.

“Just promise you won’t think I’m crazy, okay?” He nodded, although a little apprehensive. “I think someone planned these ‘freak accidents,’” Junhui said.

Blinking, Soonyoung stared at him worriedly. “What are you talking about?”

“Over the past couple weeks working at the Jeon House, I’ve been seeing these little bottles around.” Junhui opened his palm for him to see. “I have no idea where they come from, but until tonight I never saw the connection. The first time I saw one, the electricity had gone out; remember I told you about that?”

Soonyoung nodded, yet still perplexed. “Wasn't it because you spilled water, though?”

“I thought so, but Wonwoo kept insisting that that wouldn’t cause the entire house to blackout. And then a few days before I cut my leg open in his kitchen, I saw broken shards of the same colored glass in his yard.” Giving him a minute to compose his thought, Junhui continued, “And then tonight, I find one here!”

“Okay,” Soonyoung calmed him down. “Let’s say that for a second, there is some correlation between these flasks and the stuff that’s been happening. Are you saying _he_ has something to do with it?”

Making up his mind, Junhui shook his head. “No, for one, why would Wonwoo do something to sabotage his own house? Secondly, he’s not even here,” he pointed out. “We’ve been cleaning the area and setting up the chairs the past few days. I’m pretty sure we would’ve seen these things laying around in the daytime.”

“True,” Soonyoung thought. “And he wouldn’t have anything to gain by ruining the talent show, either.”

“Right,” Junhui agreed, glad that his friend wasn’t more interested in Wonwoo as a suspect.

“Well, then who would want to destroy the Jeon property _and_ ruin our festival?” he thought aloud.

When Soonyoung set it up like that, one name sprung to mind. “Jaehyun.”

“Jaehyun?” he repeated, clearly skeptical of the guess. “What makes you say that? How would his puny brain even have the mental capacity to think up of such things?”

Pushing aside Soonyoung’s obvious dislike of him, and what he thought of Jaehyun’s intelligence, Junhui told him about how indirectly the guy was involved with the fire, and what he said that day at the ice cream parlor. Soonyoung’s eyes turned round with shock.

“Okay, so he has motive,” he numbered off, “But I don’t see how he would have the means to do any of this stuff.” With a hand, Soonyoung waved back in the general direction of the stage. As the boys looked, the paramedics were wheeling Chad away into the ambulance. Its flashing lights made Junhui stay put in case they could be caught by security before they’d had a chance to investigate. “I mean, Jaehyun wasn’t even in the audience. We’d have seen that meathead friend of his making a ruckus.”

Conflicted and agreeing with those points, Junhui leaned back against the trunk, trying to think of an alternative as he rubbed his forehead. Right then, movement weaving through the chairs made the pair tense. Silently, they lowered themselves closer to the ground where the shrubs would provide them with more coverage. At first, Junhui couldn’t see anything with the flashing lights distracting his cones and rods. Eventually, though, his eyes adjusted to the scene, and he could make out a slim silhouette treading carefully out there. It seemed to be looking for something, bending down into the grass for a few seconds before continuing. Soonyoung glanced up at his friend with his eyebrows scrunched together, asking wordlessly if Junhui could recognize the person. The latter shook his head.

It dawned on him then, as the shadow picked up a small object, that this must be the person responsible for tonight’s chaos. They were coming back to the scene of the crime and cleaning up after themselves. From the sound of glass hitting against glass, there had to be more than one bottle left around the area. Instinctively, Junhui gripped the one in his hand tighter. The mysterious person passed by where he had stumbled on the flask earlier, and Junhui held his breath when they couldn’t find it.

Soonyoung, skittish and afraid, leaned back from view, pulling him along. The boys stood still, waiting for the shadow figure to leave so they could get out of there, too. His heart hammered against his chest and echoed in his ears, causing him to fear that whoever was out there would hear and come straight for them.

Suddenly, a voice spoke up in the darkness, seemingly shredding through the white noise and buzz from the activities on the other side of the field. For that initial second of fright, Junhui couldn’t even make out what it said or whether it was male or female. All he managed to do was stop his screams by pressing his hands over his mouth and Soonyoung’s.

“Hana,” the voice called again, and Junhui realized it was his own brother’s. Next to him, Soonyoung jolted.

Carefully, Junhui peeked out again, trying to see. The shadow, now identified as Hana, backtracked from the path that would lead her to the boys in hiding, and turned toward Minghao’s voice and footsteps.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked gently, taking her hand in his. “I’ve been looking for you all over.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’m sorry,” was all she said. Then the two of them left without him even pressing her for more information.

“Is that who I thought I saw and heard?” Soonyoung hissed.

“Yeah,” the other answered in a daze. _What was going on?_

Eventually, Soonyoung and Junhui escaped from their little hiding spot and found a nice place to sit down and breathe. Just when he thought that he’d get a break from the supernatural without Wonwoo around, _this_ —whatever it was—appeared.

“This is crazy,” Soonyoung said with a short laugh. “What the hell does Hana have to do with these little bottles?”

“Shhh!” He hushed him, glancing around to make sure Minghao and his crazy girlfriend weren’t around. “Don’t scream it out like that.”

“Sorry,” Soonyoung lowered his voice. “I’m just... frazzled.”

“I know, me, too.” Only he supposed that he had a little more practice than his friend in dealing with out of the ordinary situations that might involve _not_ so normal individuals and circumstances.

The boys sat there quietly for a few minutes, just watching people enjoying themselves at the festival. It was so strange how one disturbance was all it took to change an entire evening and dictate how some of them would behave from now on. As it were, Soonyoung wouldn’t be able to look, much less treat, Hana with the same indifference and annoyance as he had all these years. Junhui didn’t even know how he’d able to react calmly in her presence after tonight. She already intimidated him on a daily basis; now that she could potentially be involved in such shady business, he’d be running for the opposite direction.

Not that he could bring himself to run. The curiosity and weight of the discovery outweighed his dread and anxiety.

They had uncovered something that they probably shouldn’t have. Now Junhui had to figure out a way to deal with this, and get to the bottom of it. What did she use these bottles for? If she really was responsible for them, then it implied that she had gone up to the Jeon House before, but why? What did she gain by ruining tonight’s show? What was she going to do now that she knew one of her bottles were missing? His head began to throb again, so Junhui put it between his knees to help with the blood flow.

“Hey, look over there.” Soonyoung nudged his arm slightly, then gestured in the correct direction.

Minghao and Hana were walking hand in hand a few kiosks away. While she animatedly talked to the people around her, he seemed impassive to everything surrounding him. When she engaged him in conversation, he’d respond, then move his attention elsewhere. Before tonight, it wouldn’t have surprised them. Really, they all knew the couple’s relationship was more physical than intellectual. However now, Junhui wanted to know what went through his brother’s mind as the couple navigated away.

“I wish I could read minds,” Junhui commented.

“Same here,” the other answered. “Guess now we know why she kept moving around during rehearsals. That’s probably when she scouted the location for her scheming mind.”

“And why she was so curious about the competition, too,” he remarked, recalling her sudden interest in how the show would be set up and how many acts there were going to be.

“Getting to know her enemies,” Soonyoung nodded, doing a poor imitation of a tv cop. “Staying and watching everyone perform, she got plenty of info on how to sabotage them.”

“But why?” Junhui turned to face him. “I mean, this can’t be as simple as her wanting to win first price. She doesn’t need the money, especially when it’s only a Starbucks gift card and two tickets to Disneyland,” he retorted. Since the festival was meant to bring fun to the town, the awards were to encourage and thank the participants. The committee couldn’t afford to pay them very much.

Soonyoung thought for a second, bringing his clasped hands under his chin. “Maybe it’s a dominance alpha male thing. Well, she’s not a guy, so I should say it’s the Queen Bee complex. You know, besting everyone in everything? Being in control and stuff.”

“Well, there’s no point in winning if your competition is all incapacitated.”

“Obviously, she went too far.”

Junhui sighed, leaning against the wall behind them.

“We have to investigate!” Soonyoung exclaimed suddenly, smashing the bottom of his fist against his palm. Worn out, Junhui turned slowly to look at his friend. “Like, snoop around and find evidence.”

“Do you have a death wish?” He questioned Soonyoung’s sanity. “Or have you forgotten what she might just have done less than an hour ago?”

“Trust me, I haven’t forgotten,” he made a face. “But I know you’re totally freaking out on the inside, so don’t even pretend. Besides, we both know you’re thinking about Minghao and how involved he is with this.”

“I hate it when you do that,” Junhui muttered, but admitted that Soonyoung was right. Despite his outward composure, his brain had conjured up a million horrific images, most of them involved Minghao doing something to upset her, followed by what she might do to him in retaliation.

“So, what do you say, Detective Moon?”

Rubbing his eyes, Junhui sighed. Still, he clasped Soonyoung’s hand. “Yes, Detective Star.”

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

“Why are you still in bed?” Soonyoung’s voice shouted somewhere over Junhui’s head as his bedroom door slammed against the wall.

“What are you doing up at this time?” Junhui grumbled, grabbing the comforter and turning away from him, hiding under it. “Who even let you in?”

“I broke in,” he kid, jumping onto the bed and shaking the other awake. “Come on, get up! If you don’t come out, I’m going to tickle you until you do!”

Knowing resistance was futile, and any hope of getting back to sleep had evaporated, Junhui shrieked preemptively and pushed the blanket back. Hair in disarray, he sat up against the headboard. “You’re mean,” he pouted.

Soonyoung laughed, plopping himself in front of him and poked his cheeks. “You love me, babe.”

Junhui stuck his tongue out at him. “Irrelevant!”

“Well, I bring pressing matters!”

“What is so pressing that you had to break into my house at...” He glanced at his alarm clock, “at 6:45 _in the morning_?”

“I found out Hana isn’t going to be home today. This is our chance of sneaking around and find out what’s going on!”

“Are you _nuts_?” Junhui demanded. “What if she suddenly comes back and catches us? It doesn’t matter that we’re friends with Seokmin, we’re still going to get charged with breaking and entering. Or worse. What if she vaporizes us on sight?”

Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “Look, I know she’s gonna be out of town today and won’t come back until way later tonight, or early tomorrow even,” he said, still not giving up.

It’d been two days since the Talent Show Fiasco, and everything was starting to calm down. Now Soonyoung wanted to play detective _dangerously_.

“Have you been stalking her?” Junhui asked with wide eyes.

“Yes, now get up!” he rushed the other out of bed. “I’ll tell you everything after you’ve had some food in you. Everyone knows you’re worth nothing before that.”

“Heyyy!” Junhui protested, but Soonyoung pushed him toward the hall, then skipped downstairs. With a sigh, Junhui padded to the bathroom and got ready for another crazy day with his crime-oriented best friend.

When he came downstairs, Soonyoung sat on the couch, flipping through the channels. A glance outside showed both Hyejin’s and Minghao’s cars gone. Soonyoung turned off the tv as the other reached the kitchen, and followed him into the room. He perched himself at one of the stools, waiting for Junhui to get a few spoonfuls of cereal.

“Do you mind starting over and telling me where this crazy idea of breaking into her apartment comes from?” Junhui requested, leaning against the kitchen counter, holding his bowl. “I mean, I agreed to snoop, but breaking into her house is kinda…” he scrunched up his face.

“Seriously, I did not purposely intend to stalk her,” Soonyoung began. “Yesterday, I was at Starbucks when she and her friends came in. They were talking about today’s trip to visit some girl, sort of an Evil Witches reunion or something. I don’t know; I didn’t care about the details.” He waved off the issue. “The point is: it’s a road trip, so even if she wanted to turn back, it'd still give us plenty of time to go check it out.”

Chewing on his lower lip, Junhui considered this. “I’m... not so sure this is a good idea, Hoshi,” he said slowly.

The younger watched him, his head cocked to the side. “Are you afraid of getting caught or of what we might find?” Taken by surprise, Junhui stayed mute. “Ignorance is not bliss, Jun-Jun,” he continued. “The earlier you figure out something, the better you can prevent it.”

He nodded. “Alright. So when does Hana leave?”

“An hour, which gives us plenty of time to get there and stake out the area.” From the way he spoke now, Junhui was glad that this wasn’t another thrill game for him. If what they suspected from Hana turned out to be correct, then getting into her house was going to be a challenge all by itself. Not to mention how to look through her stuff without her knowing later on, and avoid potential booby traps, too.

The boys rode into town, stopping by Soonyoung’s house to leave their bikes. From there, they walked to Hana’s apartment, which was a fair trek considering how close it was to the city limits, but it was better than chancing people noticing their bikes. Even though she didn’t go to the community college, she lived in one of the buildings students usually rented during their school career. The place was clean and nice, if not too much like college dorms. At least they had a nice view of the campus and the mountains. Anyway, because the majority of the residents consisted of college kids, the boys could easily blend in if they were on foot, minimizing curious glances. Besides, once they got to the inner circle, her neighbors might notice foreign bikes and suspicious boys loitering around.

Finding a bench across the street from her building, they caught their breaths. In the parking lot, Junhui could still see the back of her red car. Flicking his wrist, Soonyoung checked the time.

“They should come pick her up soon,” he informed him.

“Is she not taking her car, then?”

“I have no idea. We’ll find out in ten minutes.”

So for the next ten minutes, they sat there, trying to not look too conspicuous to the passerby. A snow white luxury car with three other girls in it drove into the complex’s parking. Junhui motioned for Soonyoung. The car stalled as the back door opened and a redhead climbed out. She headed for the entrance. He and Soonyoung cautiously made their way closer, trying to catch which door she took. They lingered by the bus stop, keeping their backs to the building, glancing back occasionally. A few minutes later, the redhead came out with Hana, both giggling obnoxiously. They climbed into the car, and it left the lot.

Quickly, the boys slipped inside the gate before it could close completely, saving them from walking all the way around the block. Inside the mail room, they searched the names on the boxes for hers. They had to find it before someone entered and noticed them. In the midst of the rush, the elevator opened with a loud clang, making both of them jump. This was what happened when Junhui did things that could be considered illegal. Fortunately for his heart, a group of students exited, too busy talking with each other to pay them any attention. Junhui blew out a breath, holding a hand over his chest, feeling his heart.

“I got it,” Soonyoung cheered lightly. “I-233. Let’s go.”

Out of the elevator on the second floor, they walked down the hall past all the doors, trying to find hers. They came upon it, and Junhui pulled out Minghao’s keys with shaking fingers. Before they left this morning, he’d swiped the extra set of keys from his brother’s room. Minghao kept an extra key for her place, too. When the lock clicked, Junhui blew out a breath and pushed it open.

The place was more spacious than he had imagined it. The sofa was pushed against one wall, facing the tv. The dining room and kitchen fit nicely on the other side of the large room. Off to the right must be the bed-and bathrooms. He knew that during the school year, she rented out the spare bedroom. With it being summer, they didn’t have to worry about her roommate. So far, everything looked quite normal, but people usually kept their secrets hidden away under their beds or some place out of view.

He reached the first door and turned the knob. It was unlocked, and he pushed the door wider. Still standing in the hall, he first examined the room with his eyes, then took a few pictures. When he didn’t notice any trip wire or snake coiled in a corner, he proceeded inside. He knew that his pace was probably driving Soonyoung on edge, but it was better to be cautious than having to call 911 and explain to them why they broke into Hana’s place and got incapacitated by one of her booby traps.

“Guess watching all those crime shows really paid off, huh?”

“Are you making fun of me?”

Soonyoung chuckled.

“Anyway. Try to minimize touching her stuff,” he told him. “When she left she might have put certain objects in a specific way. If we move them she might know.”

“Geez, Jun,” Soonyoung chuckled again, “You keep saying I’m a stalker, but you’re turning out with an expert snooper.”

He giggled a little, swatting at his friend’s arm. “The perfect detective duo, I guess.”

“You bet!”

After the initial twenty minutes looking through drawers and closets, her room seemed free of any incriminating evidence.

Junhui was looking at her calendar when Soonyoung wondered out loud, “What is she doing keeping her plants in here?” Turning around, he saw his partner opening the large footlocker at the end of the bed. From where Junhui stood, he could glimpse at some long and green leaves poking out. “Hey, there’s a key down here.” Soonyoung reached down to retrieve it, but suddenly, his arm was yanked down into the chest. “Jun!”

“Hoshi!”

He ran over instantly. To his utter terror, the leaves of the two potted plants had wrapped themselves around Soonyoung’s arm, yanking him down. He moved without thinking. Grabbing Soonyoung’s arm, he reached to try and pull the leaves free. Yet right in front of their eyes, the plants immediately let go of Soonyoung and coiled back as soon as Junhui’s hands made contact. They boys stumbled backward in shock, eyes as large as saucers.

“What the hell!” Soonyoung panted, examining his arm. Luckily for him, they didn’t do any major damage, just some scruff marks where the sharp edges scratched his skin. “Is she breeding mutant plants or something?”

Still reeling from that incident, Junhui stepped closer to the trunk and peered inside. Now the plants sat there, their leaves hanging down like lemon grass. Experimenting, he waved his hand over their tops, causing Soonyoung to lunge forward, ready to jerk him back. But again, as the boys looked on, the plants merely shied away from Junhui, avoiding his touch. He shared a look with Soonyoung, then reached down to pick up the key at the bottom without any trouble.

“That deserves another ‘what the hell.’ I can’t blame fright for causing delusions this time; they totally _moved_ when you got close enough.”

“Yeah,” he reflected. “As if... they were alive.”

Soonyoung shuddered. “Uh-huh,” he nodded, the bravery he’d carried with him slowly dwindling away. “What’s going on?”

“I think,” Junhui answered slowly, “I think they’re scared of what’s inside of me.”

Soonyoung took his eyes long enough away from the mutants to stare at him. “You mean the thing your mom—”

“Yeah,” he nodded, already flipping through his memory to recall what Wonwoo had explained about their Crystals. He hadn’t said much, but from the little information he gave him, Junhui already had a good idea of why these things were avoiding him.

“Apart from saving you that day,” Soonyoung said, “I thought all it did was make your blood shoot out angry crystals.”

Not responding, Junhui took a second to think through the millions of things flying inside his head. _It was meant to protect their child against the Clan and Taeseung’s own demonic nature. So that no matter what, the child would be protected even if they weren’t there._ Nothing before today had so much as responded to the Crystal inside of Junhui. Now, it obviously thwarted these plants—plants meant to attack strangers who tried to reach for the key. Could Hana be connected to the Alcaeus Clan? If she were, why hadn’t Wonwoo said anything about it? Moreover, it wouldn’t explain why she wanted to destroy the talent show.

“Junnie, are you okay?” Soonyoung’s anxious voice pulled him back to the present.

“Yeah, sorry, I was just... Um, let’s see what this keys opens.”

The boys began to dig around for anything that could be opened with the mysterious key. When none of the locks they could find fit the key, Junhui dug under her bed and pushed aside all the junk down there. He came upon a large trunk, almost twice the length of the one containing her plants. Soonyoung helped him pull it out. The key inserted in unlocked it.

“I should probably take this one,” Junhui told him, and the latter nodded. The heavy lid lifted up to reveal scarves, gloves, and other accessories. Their eyes narrowed suspiciously.

“Why would you hide a key to your accessory box?” Soonyoung sounded confused and disappointed.

Junhui felt along the sides of the chest with his fingertips, hoping to find something. When he came upon the latch, he pulled on it, releasing the top layer of the chest. He removed the tray that contained the scarves as a ploy and set it aside.

“Oh, my god...” Soonyoung knelt down next to him as they peered down the contents of the trunk.

Flasks and bottles were stocked in a little case so they could be moved from this trunk easily. Some of them contained liquids, others didn’t. There were no labels, but they appeared to be color-coded. Junhui could see the same red flasks from the festival, among the green and blue bottles, those ones slightly larger. Next to the bottles, she kept candles and incense, not smelling at all like lavender or citrus. There were pouches with questionable content, small knives and scissors, a sewing kit, and dolls. Like the one he had found in the Jeon yard.

Picking one up, Junhui examined it closely. From the corner of his eye, he saw Soonyoung poking at one of the pouches, a horrified expression etched on his face. This doll resembled the one Junhui had found, suggesting that Hana might have dropped it when she went up to the house. He still had no idea why, but this was a start: confirming she did leave those bottles and doll.

“Jun,” Soonyoung gasped, holding out a boy doll at him. At first, he was confused. “This... this looks like Minghao.” Putting back the doll he held, Junhui took into his hand the toy. “Doesn’t he have the same shirt? And look!” Soonyoung pointed to the two objects in its grasp, “He even has a paintbrush in one hand and a wrench in the other!”

“Oh, my god,” Junhui breathed, suddenly feeling light-headed. “What is she doing with this?”

Soonyoung picked up the notebook tucked against the back of the trunk. “This girl is obsessed,” he commented as Junhui glanced over.

On the cover, she drew hearts and wrote his name over and over. As Soonyoung flipped through the pages, they scanned over her entries and saw pictures. They were all of Minghao during his high school years. One showed him leaving school, another was of him in town, in the next he was at his favorite restaurant with Mingyu and their friends, and on and on.

“Dude, you were right,” Soonyoung said with disgust as he continued to flip through the pictures, “Hana _has_ been following him to learn about his habits and what he likes.” Even as he kept making a sickened face, Soonyoung continued to study the notebook.

Junhui had seen enough, so he turned his attention to the little doll in his palm. He had blond hair and dark colored eyes made of tiny rhinestones. The shirt looked to be made from the same material as Minghao’s actual shirt, and he wore a pair of tiny jeans. She went as far as crochetinghis shoes to look like black Converse.

The page flipping stopped, and he glanced over to see why. Soonyoung’s eyes were scrutinizing the sheet of paper, as if trying to make sense of what he was reading.

“What is it?” Junhui asked, moving so he could see.

“‘Make Him Yours: Forever,’” Soonyoung read, grimacing in disgust. “Is this really...?”

“This is some sort of love potion?”

As they read through the list of ingredients and instructions, it definitely pointed to Hana trying out her luck with brewing a love potion. He felt sick just thinking about what it meant.

“I wanna know how potent this stuff is, and most importantly, how she could’ve done this to Minghao!” Soonyoung spoke his thoughts aloud. “This stinks of cheap witchcraft books and internet searches,” he went on. “And just as luck would have it, the whole sham worked!”

Junhui didn’t respond, and Soonyoung took it as agreement, but really, he was thinking that the explanation couldn’t be as simple. A normal, human girl like Hana couldn’t be so lucky as to successfully brewing a love potion out of sheer luck. Besides, what about the creepy plants? Somehow, in some way, bigger parties had to be involved. Messing with people’s emotions was no easy task. Luck alone couldn’t do it.

“Hold it open for me,” Junhui told him as he fished for his phone.

“What are you doing?”

“I want to read it when we get back and see how she did it.” He took the picture of the page. “Anything else interesting?”

Leafing through more pages, Soonyoung stopped at another recipe. After a few seconds of reading, he said, “I think this is what Hana was doing that night.” He pushed the notebook toward the other boy. The recipe was a reference for the love potion from earlier, and this one was used to collect raw emotions. Apparently, any emotion she gathered, this spell could turn into love.

“So she left those bottles around the audience, then sabotaged the show in order to suck everyone’s emotions?” Junhui questioned. “Why did she even bother to do that? All she had to do was leave the bottle and collect them at the end. She would still get people’s responses to the acts.”

“But that wouldn’t be as raw,” Soonyoung reflected. “Besides, you saw how many people those accidents attracted to the stage. If she hadn’t, there would only be the usual applause and cheers.”

Sighing, Junhui shook his head, not sure how to even process this. “All those bottles were used to brainwash my brother into loving her.”

“I’m sorry,” Soonyoung answered sympathetically, patting his shoulder. 

The notebook had other spells and whatnot, but none of them related to the current situation. Junhui didn’t care if she needed something to make her hair perfect all the time. He cared about waking his brother up from this brainwashing session.

“We’ve got to get back. I need to talk to Hao.” Dropping the doll back into the chest, Junhui tucked the notebook in its original place.

“And to tell him what?” Soonyoung asked. “As far as I know, people aren’t exactly conscious that they’re being brainwashed into loving someone,” he noted.

“Well, I’ve got to do _something_ now that we know all this.”

Soonyoung opened his mouth to speak, then stopped when he noticed something hidden. “Is that... Is that supposed to be you?”

“What?”

Scooting closer, Soonyoung grabbed the doll in question. Brown hair, brown eyes. Blue jeans and a college t-shirt, _Junhui’s_ college. There was something sown under the t-shirt, and Soonyoung lifted the hem up. In the center of the tummy, there was a rhinestone. Junhui’s blood drained from his face as the realization hit him.

“She knows I have the crystal in me,” he whispered.

“How could she? Could she have bullied Minghao into telling?” Soonyoung wanted to know. “Again, why would she even need to know that? Blackmail?”

“Maybe? I don’t…” He shook his head.

This further proved that there was a connection to the Alcaeus Clan. Not even Soonyoung understood why this was so significant, other than knowing Junhui kept it a secret for fear of being dissected. Only to Wonwoo and his Clan did this Crystal have significance. When Wonwoo’s mother had asked the reason for her son’s changes, he had avoided telling her Junhui was involved, that it was because of another Crystal piece that his worked again. Something told Junhui that if they knew that it was because of him that Wonwoo turned “good,” Junhui would be in big trouble.

 

 

A little after midday, the boys left the apartment. Before that, they had to do a thorough sweep around the room, putting things back where they belonged as best as they could by referring to the pictures they took. To get out, they had to check their surrounding first.

Pressed against the front door, Junhui peeped through the hole and waited for the girl in the hall to leave. Once she disappeared, he opened the door and rushed Soonyoung out. He locked the door and they climbed down the stairs as naturally and fast as they could.

Later that afternoon, sitting in Soonyoung’s room, Junhui could hardly believe that they had made it to and back without getting caught. Immediately after the relief ebbed away, two things sprung up in his mind. One: how was he going to break Minghao from this crazy love spell he was under? Two: how was Hana connected to the Alcaeusians?

In terms of conversation and company, he was pretty much useless the rest of the day. Soonyoung had tried to talk to him, but after a while, he knew his friend wasn’t really there to keep up his end of the conversation. Soonyoung was concerned, but mostly, he was still in shock of what they uncovered. Because believing in woodland gremlins and mischievous fairies stealing your keys was a lot different from coming to terms with your high school peer being a brainwashing witch. So around four o’clock, Junhui rode home, thinking all the way how he would approach Minghao.

 

“Can I ask you sort of a personal question?”

Minghao lowered the tea bottle from his lips, nodded, and swallowed. “Shoot.”

It was after dinner. Hyejin had retired to her study to look over her upcoming duties at the museum starting later this week. Junhui stayed at the kitchen table, looking over the pictures he’d taken at Hana’s apartment. As of lately, Minghao came in to find food way after they cleaned up.

“When... When did you and Hana start dating?”

Minghao gave him a short pause. “Two years ago. We went camping for our anniversary last month, remember?”

Ignoring that, Junhui pushed for a question closer to the point. “Do you remember how you met? I mean, you guys didn’t—and still don’t—really have the same social circle.”

He shrugged. “Nothing too unique. She brought her car in, and we got talking. Then she asked about my painting, and yeah.”

“The rest is history,” he offered disheartened, and Minghao nodded, not noticing the younger’s tone. He continued to drink his tea, while Junhui thought of another approach. “Would you say that you’re in love?”

That nearly choked him. The liquid probably went down the wrong tube. Coughing a few times, Minghao stared at him, and Junhui gave him an apologetic smile. “What is this all about?”

“Nothing, just... curious, I guess.”

Sitting down on the other side of the island, he swung the bottle back and forth between his hands. “After two years, I suppose the right answer is yes, but I don’t know, to be honest.” _Good_ , Junhui thought. This appeared promising. “But just because I can’t identify it, it doesn’t mean that it’s not there, right?” And then his hope crashed and burned. “There has to be something between us if we keep at it.”

“Some people would call that lust,” Junhui interjected, making him narrow his eyes.

“Watch it,” he warned.

Enough with beating around the bush. He took in a deep breath and spit out what he really wanted to know, despite it making his stomach twist in a nauseating manner. He leveled his eyes with his. “Do you plan on staying with her for the rest of your life?”

“I don’t see how that’s any of your business,” he retorted, his voice hard. “I know you don’t like her, but she makes me happy. That’s all you need to know.”

“Just because something makes you feel good doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good for you,” Junhui muttered.

Pushing his chair out, Minghao hit his hands on the counter, startling him. “What is your problem?” he demanded. “You’ve never so much as paid her a passing glance, and now you want to give us relationship advice?”

“What?” Junhui interjected, feeling his own frustration and indignation rise up to replace the initial shock of Minghao’s outburst. “ _She_ is the one who acts like she’s too good to be in my company—in anyone’s company but yours and her friends’, so blame me for being unfriendly.”

“Then why the sudden interest?” he shot back. Junhui couldn’t answer him. His eyes shifted to the kitchen wall. “I’m not gonna let you start playing these bratty little games with her, especially tomorrow night.”

“Tomorrow night?” Junhui repeated, not understanding.

Minghao’s eyes hardened. “She’s coming to dinner.”

“Since when?” No one mentioned anything. If they were having a ‘guest,’ Hyejin would already be planning what to prepare.

“Since now,” he replied. “So. Don’t. Start.” The words were clipped, blunt, meant to push him further with each punctuation. “If you’ve got a problem with her, then it’s just too bad, but she’s not going anywhere for a while.” With those parting words, Minghao stormed out of the house, slamming the screen door in his wake.

Stunned, Junhui sat there, feeling like he’d broken something. Something important. Then he realized that it might have been their bond. In the past, Minghao had gotten pissed at him numerous times, but it’s never been this bad. And never had it left him so awful afterward. His anger had come so suddenly; it was so unlike him. Was it too late to pull him out of her clutches? How was Junhui supposed to do it if he didn’t even want to be saved?

Hyejin stepped out of her study, eyeing him, then the door. “What happened out here?”

Not meeting her gaze, Junhui stared through the screen door to the dark sky. The whole fight played back against the navy canvas like a movie. “I’m not sure, Mom.”

For the rest of the night and the next day, Minghao completely avoided his brother. Hyejin found out about the dinner guest and got slightly annoyed that she didn’t have enough time to cook something special. To get some moral support for what was to come, he called Soonyoung and invited him to dinner, too. Maybe it was a bratty move, but there was no way Junhui could survive the dinner otherwise.

At the table that night, the only person completely oblivious to the underlying tension was Hyejin. Like a good hostess, she engaged in easy conversation with both guests, encouraging inputs from all parties. While Soonyoung and Hana put up a good front, Minghao and Junhui sat opposite one another, giving each other the silent treatment. It wasn’t as stupid as not asking for the salt and pepper, but they didn’t talk to each other beyond polite phrases.

While they conversed about topics ranging from the summer festival, to the accidents, moving to global issues, Junhui tuned them out. All his attention was focused on Hana and every minute movement she made. So far, he had been able to make sure that she didn’t drop any of her flasks around his house or yard, but until she left, Junhui would not be able to sit still. When she had first come in with Minghao, he and Soonyoung held their breaths in case she could tell that they had broken into her apartment. After she gave them more or less the same indifference, they finally let out twin sighs of relief. Junhui wasn’t sure if she and Minghao refrained from being too touchy with each other because their mother was there, or if Minghao wanted to prove to him that it wasn’t lust holding him to her. Whatever the case, Junhui was glad that they didn’t do what they usually did, allowing him to get at least a few bites of food.

The meal dragged on, or maybe it was just his impression. Having had enough, he silently pushed back his chair and brought his plate to the sink, turning on the faucet. Even without the other plates, there was plenty of other things to wash in the sink. He ran the sponge under the water and squirted some dish soap on it.

“Here, let me help.”

He turned around to see Hana standing behind him, holding her plate and Minghao’s. She was actually smiling faintly at him.

“It’s okay,” he said, gingerly taking the dishware from her hands. “We don’t usually make our guests do the cleaning afterward.”

“I’ll give you a hand,” Soonyoung approached with the rest of the plates and silverware. He didn’t wait for Junhui to protest. He dropped them in the suds and stood in front of the other sink to wait for Junhui to pass him the items to rinse off.

“Hana.” Minghao stood at the edge of the kitchen leading to the living room. She glanced back and went to his side. Junhui kept his glare for a few seconds, then went to dishwashing duty.

“God, I thought it would never end,” Soonyoung lamented, rinsing the plates he passed him. “You know, I usually love talking to your mom, but I just feel exhausted trying to make up for your lack of words.”

“Sorry,” he said, “I don’t think anything coming out of my mouth would have been appropriate dinner conversation.”

Snorting, Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “Right, like anything _you_ say could offend anyone.”

“I can be vicious, too!”

Again, Soonyoung snorted. “Hate to break to you, buddy, but cursing someone to never have seasoning on hand is _not_ threatening.”

Pursing his lip, Junhui said, “It is too. Try to eat without proper seasoning. See if you’ll survive.”

“I’ll just stuff everything in my mouth and chew.”

They both laughed at the nonsense.

By the time they finished, the evening appeared to be just like any other. Hyejin was sitting at the couch, her agenda open to next week as she transferred notes from it to her phone.

“Where did everyone go?”

“You mean your brother?” she asked, not taking her eyes off of her task. “He took Hana to see his latest painting.”

“Is he going to drive her back?”

“Probably.” She muttered some dates, then checked her phone. Knowing she had her head wrapped in that, he and Soonyoung went out to the porch.

It was a quiet night, a cool breeze would blow through the trees once in a while, carrying with it the scent of chlorophyll. At the railing, Junhui sprinkled some water on his seedlings, checking on them by the light of the porch.

“So...” Soonyoung started, “What do you want us to do now?”

He sighed, putting the pot back. “I don’t know. I don’t want to care anymore.” Moving to the side, he hopped on the railing, leaning his head against the beam on his left.

“Aw, come on. Yes, you do. Let’s just take a walk to clear your mind.” He got him back on his feet, and they walked down the driveway, moving toward the fringe of the trees. There was a trail there that bikers usually took in the morning for exercise. They hiked along at a slower pace than usual, but Soonyoung didn’t complain as he chatted with him. At the end of the trail, they turned around and headed back. Junhui couldn’t say that the walk made him feel any better, but he didn’t tell him. Soonyoung was a good sport, putting up with everything.

The lights to the barn were turned off when they came back within sight of the house. Junhui figured Minghao must have taken her home. It was sort of late now, too, so he walked with Soonyoung to the barn to get their bikes. He was going to bike with him halfway to his house just as something to do.

As they unlocked their chains, the metal clanging together, Soonyoung stopped him, whispering, “Did you hear that?”

He glanced at him, the shadows playing on his hair and face. “Hear what?”

“Shhh...” he hushed him, putting a hand up as if that would help him hear whatever it was. “Footsteps.”

“Hoshi,” he kept his voice low. “Don’t try to spook me.”

“Just listen,” the other insisted.

The footsteps were really faint, but Junhui heard them. They didn’t come from the barn, though, neither did they belong to some creature walking through the bushes behind the building.

“We can see the side of the barn from the windows upstairs, right?” Soonyoung asked, already moving his gaze upward. Junhui nodded, and they quietly made their way up.

Although Junhui kept his thoughts to himself, he couldn’t help but think back to that night when something in the shrubs growled at him, followed by his encounter with Wonwoo. He shivered. On the landing, they stepped to the open French doors and peered out. Since the doors had nothing to stand on the other side, they had to be careful not to fall to the ground.

At first, Junhui couldn’t see anything but trees and the grass down below. Then suddenly something flickered on and off. He and Soonyoung shared a look, then crouched down to get a better view. The flickering appeared again, and this time the flame stayed. It was a candle. Since that was the only source of light, and the leaves kept blocking their view, they couldn’t see much.

Shadows moved back and forth in front of the flame, and they could determine two people. _Didn’t Minghao take her home already?_ Junhui wondered as he continued to watch intently. When the shadows stopped moving, he realized that the person had drawn something in the grass, and that symbol now glowed.

Next to him, Soonyoung gasped as the figures came into view. The bright drawing on the ground reflected the light, throwing it over the people, chasing the dark away. Hana and Minghao stood there. She began to murmur something, a murmur that soon became a chant. As for him, he just stood there, not even blinking as she pulled something out of her purse and sprinkled it around them. Following that, she took out the Minghao-doll the boys found in the trunk under her bed, and poured a blue bottle over it. Junhui glanced over to Minghao, but the older remained unmoving, staring out into space. She set the doll, now covered in the liquid, down on the ground next to the candle, in the center of whatever she drew. Her chanting stopped as she moved closer to him. Reaching her arms around him, she kissed him. Hard. Junhui tried not to gag when he kissed her back with fervor.

Stepping apart, she put out the candle and the glowing design with a bucket of water he hadn’t noticed earlier. Minghao still didn’t act normal, more like a doll. She grabbed her things, and led him out by the hand. Soon, their footsteps died out, and the white noise came back.

“That must be the freakiest thing I’ve ever seen,” Soonyoung whispered, even though there really was no more need to.

Junhui had seen freakier things, but this definitely made the top ten. “It’s late, your mom might get worried if you’re not home soon.”

“Dude, did you not just see _that_!” he asked, his voice shriller than usual.

“I did, but I really don’t think we should get involved in this anymore.”

“What?”

Junhui couldn’t tell him that he worried for him, too. What if Hana came for Soonyoung next? Better cut his losses before it was too late. “It could turn dangerous, Hoshi,” he said instead. “What if she does something to us, too?”

“So you’re just gonna let her eat your brother alive?” he sounded shocked.

“Well, I’m certainly not gonna fight her head on,” Junhui retorted. “Maybe if I can figure out what she gave him to keep him in that daze...”

Sighing, Soonyoung nodded. “I suppose that would be smarter.”

 

Even after Junhui came back from his ride with Soonyoung, Minghao’s car was still missing from its spot in the driveway. The barn remained dark, and so was his room. Taking a chance, Junhui threw his bike into storage and went inside. Hyejin was in her study once again, and the house was very quiet. The nervous feeling combined with the adrenaline to make his heart pound, disturbing the tranquility. It was completely ridiculous to feel this way when he stepped into his own house. Taking steady breaths, Junhui treaded to the stairs and made his way down the hall to Minghao’s room.

As usual, he left it open and Junhui stepped in. The room had minimal furniture: a bed pushed along the length of the wall, his desk lining the adjacent wall right next to the headboard, a closet and dresser. He kept his paintings in the barn, so the only art decorating his walls were various music posters and a few photographs of landscapes that Mingyu took. As far as Junhui could tell, nothing had been added or removed from the last time he was in here. On the surface. Knowing not to leave any stones unturned, he went through his brother’s desk and drawers, quickly flipping through the content to find _anything_ that could be used to put Minghao under that daze. Junhui figured that if he found some charm or talisman and destroyed it, it could solve the problem.

Coming up empty, he went to the closet and dresser, but nothing. The bed came next. Junhui searched his pillow and felt along the lining of his sheets. He pulled out all the containers Minghao kept underneath the bed, opening all the lids. Time was ticking. His brother could be back any second, and still, he found nothing.

The shelves over his desk and bed were his next target. That was when Junhui noticed two little dolls sitting next to his books, partially hidden. No doubt Hana had put them there. One of them was Minghao, the other had blond hair and wearing a skirt and tank top. Over her hair sat a pair of sunglasses, and a purse hung on her shoulder. The Minghao and Hana dolls had their hands sewn together, as if holding hands. In any other situation, it would have looked somewhat cute, but now it just made him shudder. Not even thinking, Junhui pocketed them.

Climbing down from the chair, he looked out the window at his side. Minghao’s truck was parked, and its owner wasn’t inside the cab. A chill ran down his back as Junhui glanced at the barn, hoping to see the lights on. They weren’t. He jumped down, running out while he still could.

His heart leapt into his throat when Junhui saw his brother at the door, the latter’s eyes narrowing.

“Hao!”

“What are you doing in here?” he asked slowly, coming into the room.

Stammering, the younger tried to speak calmly. “Nothing, I was just—”

Glancing around the room, he set his eyes back on him. “You went through my stuff?”

There was no denying out of this mess. Junhui had to tell him. “Yes.” Clearly shocked by his admission, Minghao stopped. “I had to know what’s going on with you!”

He scoffed, waving his arms around, then pointed to him. “Nothing is going on. You’re the one who’s been acting like a brat lately.”

“I saw you with her in the woods,” Junhui blurted out when Minghao turned his back on him, trying to dismiss this conversation.

“What the hell are you talking about?” He faced him again.

“You know what I’m talking about. You were by the side of the barn, standing like a freakin’ zombie while she performed some kind of creepy ritual on you!”

“Jun,” he sighed, rubbing his forehead. “You’re insane.”

“I am not!” Junhui was so close to throwing a tantrum right there and then. “She’s obvious done something to you. You’re not the same person when you’re around her. She’s some kind of witch, forcing you to be her love slave or something—”

Minghao walked up to him, expression hard. “Get out.”

“Hao, listen to me!” But he didn’t. He backed away toward his dresser, his back to him, unwilling to listen to what Junhui had to say. “Please, snap out of it. Hana is sucking the life out of you! I’ve been to her room, and she knows about me. What if she’s using you to—”

“Shut up, Junhui!”

The boy froze and just stood there, mute, unable to recognize his own brother as the one who just shouted at him with such ferocity and revulsion. His stomach twisted.

Minghao walked back to the door, standing inches from him in order to stuff the words into his head. “It’s not always about you. Is it so hard to imagine that what Hana and I have is genuine? You think you’re the only one who’s had to cope with the repercussion of that fucking disease?” A short and humorless laugh escaped his lips. “Unlike you, I live in this forsaken town yearlong, dealing with all the shit people say about us, all because you couldn’t do what you were told. Everyone kept warning about it, but you just had to go into the woods by yourself to mess around. Well, was it worth it? Was it worth your father’s life?”

Junhui’s vision was getting blurry. His eyes and nose burned. But he swallowed, clutching his stomach as the waves of guilt and grief washed over him. He couldn’t think beyond the shock of Minghao’s anger and the hurt it brought. Even through the haze, he could still make out the older’s eyes, so cold and full of contempt.

If what he had said wasn’t enough, he added, “Just remember that when you’re gone, my mother and I are the ones left picking up the pieces. So please show me the same consideration as you do to the rest of the population. Stay away from the one thing that’s my own. Don’t ruin this, too.” He turned on his heels.

“Minghao, please!” Junhui cried, his voice breaking and the tears fell freely down his cheeks. He didn’t understand why his brother would do this to him. He just wanted to help. “Don’t say—” he reached out, holding him back by the arm.

Minghao whipped around so quickly, Junhui didn’t even have time to react. Minghao gripped his wrist, and he winced at the suddenness. “Ah!”

Glaring at him, Minghao could barely contain his anger as he spoke, gritting his teeth, “Get. Out.”

Lost, scared, hurt, Junhui stared back at him through the hazy vision. With a shove, Minghao released him, and Junhui found himself standing in the hall. The door slammed shut.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 😱😱😱 Minghao noooooooooo!!! how could you???? (with that said, if i see anyone bash him i will pummel you to dust. there's always a reason for everything, even if it hurts for now).
> 
> Hana though... 👀😒 just getting more and more shady. _How_ is she involved with the Alcaeus Clan??? Hmmmmmm. And why hasn't Wonwoo mentioned anything about it? Hmmmmmmm
> 
> On the other hand: I LOVE SO SOONHUI SO MUCH. if wonhui didn't have me by the neck and owned my life, i'd definitely be worshipping my gemini twins ヽ(°∀°人´ヮ´)ﾉ
> 
> as always, i hope you enjoyed! see you next week for even more craziness!
> 
> thank you for reading!  
> xoxoxo


	19. Artifice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun talks with Hana about her sick and creepy obsession over Minghao.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!
> 
> This (kinda) concludes the Hao/Hana/Jun arc for now. We get some answers and somewhat of a resolution, but please don't think this is IT. we'll get an actual conclusion to the whole thing later, but for now... 
> 
> also i know we're all waiting for wonu... so um. hopefully this will help??? ish... not really. WONWOO PLEASE COME BACKKKKKKK
> 
> anyway. please enjoy~
> 
> -

 

 

After what happened with Minghao, Junhui needed to get some air and clear his head. He ran downstairs, put on his shoes and went outside. The gentle chirping of crickets paused momentarily upon his sudden arrival. He stood on the porch for a few seconds, breathing in the crisp scent of summer. A cool breeze flew by, caressing his face and drying the remnants of the wet tracks on his cheeks. Roughly, he wiped his face, rubbing his eyes. He pushed a hand through his hair as he began to walk aimlessly in the yard.

Now that the surrounding was hushed, leaving him alone with his thoughts, the fight played back in his mind. It sounded so much louder, with so much anger. Never in the past had Minghao ever talked to him that way. Never had he ever brought up their parents and split them up into _yours_ and _mine_. With time, Junhui had believed that that line dividing their family no longer existed. All the more so because Minghao and Hyejin had insisted on it, instilled that belief into his head ever since he could remember. He couldn’t even count the number of times Minghao had threatened to beat up kids who mocked Junhui for not being related to them by blood.

Consequently, to hear the older going back on his word now hurt even more.

As for what he and Hyejin had to endure while Junhui was away, he could only imagine the hardships. The fact that he was so powerless against the unfair treatment gnawed at him daily. Again, his family had always reassured him that none of it was his fault. Pretty words given to him because they loved him, but deep down, he knew they were only protecting him, shielding him from the blame. Had he not disobeyed, had he not gone into the woods, he wouldn’t have gotten sick. And none of this would have happened. If he could go back in time to erase everything, he would.

But like Wonwoo had told him that day in his car: the past can neither be fixed nor changed.

Taking in a deep breath, Junhui raised his head to stare at the starry sky. Had he overstepped tonight? Had he gone overboard and infringed on Minghao’s privacy? Maybe Junhui took too much liberty and poked his nose into something that really wasn’t any of his business.

The logical side of his brain told him it was Hana’s creepy spell that spoke, not Minghao himself. It may be the case, but it didn’t lessen the truth behind the words. Or the sting.

Now more than ever in the past, he wished that he could get rid of this Crystal and the problems that came with it. If he hadn’t been given it (and actually died), he wouldn’t have to deal with all these issues now. Then his father and Dr. Minji wouldn’t have lost their lives, and everyone would be better off than they were now.

Sighing, he walked to the back of the house and climbed the small incline located less than a quarter mile away. When he was little, he rarely left the house (for obvious reasons). So he’d go up here and play. It was just a small slope that leveled out on top. It was a little too far from the backyard for Hyejin to make the effort to grow any of her flowers and shrubs. As a result, wild flowers and tall grasses took over, creating a lush and colorful patch of land.

Pulling his legs up to his chest, Junhui felt something chafe his hip. With a start, he remembered the dolls he’d taken from Minghao’s room. Quickly, he took them out and held them in his hands. A lump rose in his throat as he thought back to his brother’s anger. A small whimper slipped past his lips as he pressed his face against the dolls. He shoulders heaved with the shaky breaths he took in. He felt hollow.

“Junhui?”

His head snapped up. An icy jolt ran down his spine at the foreign voice. He whipped around, ready to bolt and scream bloody murder. His panic only quieted when his brain computed what he was seeing. A young woman, dressed in a light-colored bohemian skirt, approached from the edge of the trees behind him. She had blond hair from what he could tell after he squinted at her figure. From where he sat, she seemed taller than most girls, with a full, but lithe, figure. The gears clicked in place.

“Lee Minsoo?” he asked tentatively.

A soft smile tugged her lips as she nodded and took a couple more steps forward. Although he could sense no malicious intent from her and sat still, she still proceeded with caution, as if to make sure he knew she wouldn’t harm him.

“Are you all right?” she asked. Her voice sounded very soft and had a singing cadence to it. Was she really a demon? And Wonwoo’s cousin, no less? Aside from the good-looks, he saw no resemblance whatsoever. Guess he wasn’t kidding when he said Minsoo was the Black Sheep of the Clan.

Seeing her blinking at him, he remembered she had asked a question.

Junhui nodded quickly, clearing his throat. “I’m fine. What... what are you doing here?” he wondered. Was Wonwoo back? A flutter swept through his chest, but he squashed it down.

She briefly looked back over her shoulder, then took another step toward him. “I’m sorry for disturbing you, I was attempting to hunt.” She smiled ruefully, her face lowered a few degrees. From the way her clothes were blood-free and covered in dirt, she couldn’t have caught much. Noticing him assessing her, she laughed and nodded as if he had said his thoughts aloud. “Yes, I’m not very skillful when it comes to catching prey. I suppose I’ll contend myself with roots and vegetables again.” Raising her hand slightly, she showed him some leaves with thick roots attached. “Not as tasty as meat, but my stew is pretty good, too! And I wouldn’t have to share!”

He giggled at that, and she chuckled softly, too

“Now are you sure you’re okay?”

Nodding, Junhui met her gaze. “I’m better now. Thank you.”

She offered him another warm smile, then added with more caution, “It really isn’t prudent for you to be out at night alone. Especially when Wonwoo isn’t around.”

At the mention of his name, that flutter returned. But once again, Junhui ignored it in favor of his confusion. Knitting his brows, Junhui stared at her.

“Most creatures can sense what he is, and they stay away from the land. When he’s not in the vicinity, they come out of hiding,” she explained.

Junhui shuddered, recalling the still unknown creature that lingered around the house that one night. “I’ll… I’ll be more careful.”

She nodded. “Good. Jeon Wonwoo isn’t the easiest person to befriend,” she rolled her eyes, “But once you get past the angry brute, he can protect you from almost every other monster.”

He smiled in agreement, but in his head, he asked: _Then who will protect Wonwoo from the monsters known as the Clan Elders?_

“Um,” he fidgeted in his seat as he noticed Minsoo about to leave. “Is… Is Wonwoo doing okay?”

The question seemed to take her by surprise, but she quickly composed her expression. “He’s fine.”

Hearing the answer felt like a balm to his current uneasy mind. “I’m glad.”

After a moment of observing him in silence, she said, “Well, I better get back. Don’t stay out here too long.”

“I won’t. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

Soon, Junhui was left alone on the hill again. The dolls felt odd under his fingertips. Taking in a deep breath, he stood up and headed back inside. It was incredible how a few hours could contain so many events. First there was that horrible dinner, then his fight with Minghao, and meeting Minsoo just now. She had spoken to him like they’d known each other for years instead of barely having met. More curiously, it’d hardly taken him any time at all to decide that she was very nice. Obviously, her first impression was much more friendly than Wonwoo’s. For one, she wasn’t covered in blood, and even tried to make him feel better. She didn’t pry as to why he was upset, either.

Out of everything that happened, at least he got one piece of good news.

Sighing, he pushed open the front door and entered the house. Everything was very quiet, thankfully. Still, Junhui climbed the stairs gingerly, listening for any sound coming from Minghao’s room. He wasn’t exactly sure what he would do if the older suddenly came out of his room. Maybe scream and dive for his own room.

Thankfully, no door burst open, and he ran up the steps as fast as he could to slip into his room.

 

 

“Where are they?” Hana stormed into _Angel Wings’_ on Saturday morning, barely a quarter after opening time.

Junhui stood in the middle of the store, stacking the nectarines into a pyramid. Her shouting was attracting unwanted attention from the middle-aged couple a few stands away, choosing tomatoes and lettuce.

“What are you talking about?” he asked her, not bothering to even look up. He was exhausted, drained from everything over the past week. When he thought that he’d get a break and finally relaxed once he didn’t have to work at the Jeon House, he didn’t expect that _not_ working there would consume even more of his energy.

Hana huffed and barred his way when he tried to move around to the other side to do his job. “You know damn well what I’m talking about,” she ground out. “The dolls. Where are they?”

Leveling his tired eyes with hers, he rested a hand on the stand. “Even if I knew, what makes you think I’ll tell you?”

Obviously, she wasn’t used to seeing him this way. She probably thought she could come in here demanding that he gave her the dolls back, and he would do it like a passive little bunny. In any other circumstance, he probably would. But not today. It might have been fatigue, frustration, or pain, but he had had enough. Even the best elastic broke when overstretched.

Seeing that her tone didn’t work, she resorted to some other tactic. “If you don’t hand me the dolls _right now_ ,” she gritted her teeth, “I will scream at the top of my lungs what you are, what’s inside of you. Everyone will know just what a freak you are.”

“Go ahead,” he challenged with a shrug. Her eyes popped open, as she lost control on the situation. “I dare you. Just remember one thing: I know about your little extra curricular activities.” He stared back at her, making sure she saw that he wasn’t bluffing. Even though Junhui didn’t know much, it was plenty already. “You might be able to get everyone’s attention, but you’re only second best to me. I don’t need to display myself in designer outfits and flash money for people to stare at me. Albeit for a completely reason, I admit, but attention is attention, right?” Stepping around her, he concluded, “So go ahead. We’ll see who they burn at the stake: the witch or the freak.”

There was such a surge of power running through him, it felt exhilarating, almost enough to shake off the sluggish feeling caused by weariness. She just stood there, watching him finish the display. Once he was done, he walked out to the dumpsters to dispose of the boxes. By the time he returned, she was waiting for him, a nervous and irritated expression etched on her face.

“What do you want?” she asked when he walked by without acknowledging her.

“What do I want?” he scoffed. “I want you to leave my brother alone.”

“I can’t do that,” she replied, a little... hurt? Junhui wasn’t sure, but he was too fired up to care at the time. He pushed the cart toward the apples to stack the pile.

“That’s just too bad, then. Guess you won’t see your dolls again.” As a matter of fact, those dolls were in his bag. Last night after he’d locked myself in his room, he’d put them in his bag so he could keep them on him to further analyze them. The way Hana was freaking out and so desperate to get them back told him his first instinct was correct. They were important.

She heaved a giant sigh, fed up with him but not able to do anything about it. “What time do you get off work?”

“What for?”

“So we can talk. I can give you answers.”

He watched her cautiously. “Fine.”

They agreed on a time and place, then she left with a huff. 

During his lunch break, Junhui sat in the back room with the dolls propped against his water bottle. Their hands were still attached, their neutral expressions watched him as he watched them. He wondered what tipped Hana off that he took them. Minghao might have told her, although Junhui wasn’t sure he even knew they were missing. He surely didn’t confront Junhui about it. Like a pro, he had avoided the younger like the plague.

Setting his chin on the table, Junhui was at eye level with the dolls. Apart from the obvious work put into them, he couldn’t tell if they were just dolls or if they had anything special within them. From the way Hana had wanted them back, there had to be something that he couldn’t quite see.

The hours ticked by until Junhui was relieved from duty. He grabbed his things and headed for the café. Considering the fact that he no longer rode to town with Minghao, he’d had to take his bike this morning. With the afternoon traffic, it would be suicidal to ride, even in the bike lane. So he had to take the longer way around the block, causing him to arrive after Hana. Initially, he had wished to get there early to make sure she didn’t try any tricks. Who knew what she was capable of. Especially when she had a doll of him, too.

When he walked in and saw her, however, Junhui reconsidered his worry. Either she was a really good actress, or she was on the edge of breaking apart from anxiety. She sat in the corner, biting the tip of her thumb, her high heels tapping nervously. He’d never seen her so frazzled before. Discretely checking under the chairs and tables, he took the seat opposite of her.

“Let’s cut to the chase,” she exclaimed, “Are the dolls in a safe place?”

“Yeah, they’re fine,” he answered with apprehension.

“Are you sure?” she leaned forward.

He nodded, backing away. “Yes. Now how about answering some of my questions?”

Settling down, she seemed a little better knowing her toys were fine. She nodded, and he began with his first question.

“Why are they so important, and how did you know they were missing?”

Taking in a deep breath, she let it out slowly. “They’re used to keep Minghao around, and... under control.”

“Your control,” he clarified, and she nodded, looking down at the table. “So you are essentially using some love potion _and_ mind control on him. Is that how he just goes into zombie-mode?”

She nodded again. Even in such a pressing situation, he had to note how surreal it was to see her so out of character. He had expected the bitchy attitude and caustic remarks. Now she seemed so subdued and rather cooperative, he felt oddly anxious.

“How does it work?”

“Don’t you want to know why I did it?” His eyes narrowed, and she added, “It’ll be easier to explain how it works.”

“Okay. Why did you?” He crossed his arms, waiting for her to enlighten him.

Unable to look him in the eyes, she fixed her gaze on a spot at the corner of the table. “The short answer is that I love him, but I’ll tell you what really happened. When Cho Alice died, Minghao was devastated, and—”

“Cho Alice,” Junhui repeated, brows furrowed. “Who is she?”

Hana glanced up briefly, then averted her gaze again. “I suppose you can’t remember her,” she sighed. “Just bear with me.” He nodded. “Alice was Minghao’s first love. She was in the same class as him and Mingyu, and the three of them grew close. They graduated together. The summer after their senior year, she got into a car accident, but she didn’t make it.”

Where was she getting this story from? When Minghao graduated, she and Junhui were still sophomores, going on to be juniors. He would have remembered if his brother and Mingyu had a third person with them. But as Hana asked, he let her continue, hoping this will make sense at some point soon.

“Minghao took it hard, and...” she paused, biting her lip, her voice softening. “And I transferred the love he had for her onto me. Then I erased her from his memory, along with everyone else’s recollection of her. Of course, I couldn’t erase traces of her life. If you go to Diamond Creek Memorial, you can find her grave. She’s also in Minghao’s class yearbook.” Hana swallowed and stayed quiet for a minute while Junhui caught up.

_What._

He sat there, unable to grasp what she was telling him. Was this why Minghao had an empty picture frame on his work desk? Because it used to contain a photo of Cho Alice?

“You… You manipulated his grief to your advantages. How could you claim to love him?” he questioned, baffled.

She shifted uncomfortably under his criticism. “I didn’t think it was harmful back then. I was young, stupid. I thought it could both soothe his pain and maybe one day, he would come to love me like he loved Alice.”

“Does he?” Junhui knew the question hurt her, but he couldn’t show pity for what she did. She not only exploited his pain, she was at fault with Cho Alice, too. It was terrible that he couldn’t even recall the name, much less the person.

“No,” Hana replied, her voice about to crack. “He doesn’t.”

“How... How did you even get the means to do it? Are you even a witch, a real one?”

Shaking her head slowly, she said, “You’ve been to my place, right? And you know enough to figure it out. How do you think I did it?”

His mouth opened halfway, then he composed his thoughts as he gasped. “You’re working for them?”

“I was... for a very short time,” she admitted.

“Then you know about—”

“Wonwoo?” she offered. “Yeah, I know he’s one of them.” This was seriously getting worse and worse.

“Is that why I found one of your dolls at his house?” he wanted to know. “Were you trying to do something to him, too?” The way his mind was spinning, Junhui half expected her to tell him that she was working for the Elders, keeping an eye on Wonwoo for them.His fingers clutched at his knee.

However, she shook her head. “No, I never set foot on that hill. It must have fallen off of Minghao's truck.”

“So what, did the Clan just...” He wasn’t even sure what he was asking anymore. This revelation blew away any theories he ever had.

“I’m not sure how they found me, or how they even knew to pick me,” she continued, “But they said that they could help me with my crush on Minghao. They gave me the means, and in return I had to find a way to get you under my control, too.”

“What? Why?”

“They said you have something in you that they wanted,” she said with a small shrug. “I figured it must have been whatever was used to save you when you were little.”

“Is that why you glued a rhinestone on the belly of the doll?” he asked, thinking back to the Jun doll in her trunk. So she didn’t really know about the Crystal; she just needed something to illustrate the ‘thing’ in him. At least that was somewhat reassuring.

She nodded. “Yeah, but it didn’t work. Since you and Minghao aren’t blood related, there was nothing linking you two. You had nothing I could grab onto, so...”

“So they just gave up?” he wondered, finding that difficult to believe.

“I guess so,” she replied.

“Did you ask them why they needed... that… thing in me?”

She answered with a head shake. “No, I thought the least I knew, the better. Besides, all I could think about was Minghao.”

“Yeah.” What did this all mean? Why would Wonwoo’s Clan ask Hana to brainwash Junhui, too? Were they afraid that one day he and Wonwoo would cross paths, and his piece of Crystal would function again? If that were the case, then why did they give up? Obviously, they knew who Junhui was, then why did they still send Wonwoo on the recovery mission and risk having the two of them meet? Those questions would have to wait for when he was alone to ponder. Now he had to finish this conversation and get her to release the sick hold she had on Minghao.

“Okay, so how do the dolls work? And why are they so important?”

“Since the dolls are supposed to keep his emotions in check when he’s around me, I have to harvest emotions from other sources, and then transform them into...”

“Fake love,” he spit out, and she flinched. “That’s what you were doing to him last night.”

“Right. I knew something was wrong this morning when I came to see him. His emotions were all over the map. Then he told me about your fight last night,” she said softly. “Did… did he hurt you?”

“No.” Junhui looked away. “He just yelled a lot and pushed me out of his room.”

“I’m sorry,” she said, and that truly surprised him. He didn’t say anything, so she went on, “You have to be careful with those dolls. The reason his anger flared last night and this morning is because he wasn’t exposed to them. You need to put them back before he goes crazy.”

“What are you talking about?”

She sighed, putting her hands over her face for a second. “I’ve been manipulating his thoughts and feelings for so long, that if he doesn’t get exposed to the herbs I used to stuff the dolls right after a session, everything might get jumbled up.”

“You’re telling me,” Junhui said slowly, “That because you messed up his head and then injected him with a love potion, he’s gonna go insane?”

“With time, yes.”

At that moment, he really wanted to hit something. He didn’t need to have his head messed with to want to be violent all of a sudden.

“How do I know that you’re telling the truth? For all I know, you might tell me to put back your toys just so you can control him even more.”

“I wouldn’t be joking around with something that important. I love him.”

“If you loved him, you wouldn’t have used artifice and trickery in the first place. You’d break the spell right now and let him go.”

“You didn’t understand me earlier,” she replied almost in pain. “I literally can’t. I don’t know how to break it.”

“Oh, my god...” Pushing his hands into his hair, he sighed. “How could you...” he didn’t even know what to say anymore. “So he’s gonna stay like this for the rest of his life?”

Stammering, she couldn’t give him an answer.

Junhui couldn’t sit here and talk to her anymore. Pushing his chair back, he checked the time. It was past five thirty. Minghao would be home soon, and he had to sneak back into his room to put those dolls back. He would rather have his brother stuck in this loveless relationship with her than go insane.

As he grabbed his things and left her sitting there fumbling. Junhui concluded their meeting, “If anything happens to him, it’s on you.”

 

Nearing their driveway, Junhui was relieved to see that it was still empty. Neither Hyejin nor Minghao was home yet. He jumped down from his bike before completely coming to a stop. Pushing through the door, and up the stairs, he panted both from the sprint and the adrenaline in front of his brother’s bedroom door. He’d locked it, so Junhui flipped open his wallet and pulled out his credit card. Their bedrooms didn’t exactly have the best locks, and Minghao taught him the trick on this very door when they were little in case of emergencies. Sometimes, the lock would get pushed accidentally from the inside, and they’d find themselves stranded in the hall with no way of going back in.

Now Junhui inserted the card between the door and the frame, wiggling it this way and that until he could catch the latch. After a minute or so, he hit the sweet spot. _Click_.

Junhui turned the knob and got back on his feet. As fast as he could, he zoomed in and placed the dolls on his shelf where he’d found them, then ran back out. On the way, he turned the lock from the inside and shut the door. After checking that it did lock, he grabbed his stuff and disappeared to his room. Although the intrusion was quick, he did notice that Minghao’s room had remained intact. He hadn’t destroyed anything in a rage, which was a good sign.

That evening, Junhui dined alone. Hyejin called around six-thirty to let him know she had to attend a “welcome dinner” with the rest of the staff who were happy to have her back. When Minghao returned, he divided his time between his room and his studio. Junhui reheated some leftovers, and spent the rest of the night in his room.

 

Late the next morning, Junhui looked out his window to see Hana’s car in their driveway. She didn’t come inside; she stayed in her car until Minghao came out of the barn a few minutes later. They talked a little bit, then they took his truck to who knew where. From where Junhui stood, it seemed like things were back to the way they were. He felt utterly useless.

Once they were gone, Junhui went back to his brother’s senior yearbook. They kept most of their high school (along with middle, elementary, and pre-school) stuff in boxes stacked in the barn. While Minghao had been in his room, Junhui went down there to recover a few things from his past. Junhui wanted to check what Hana had said because he could hardly believe that she could do what she claimed.

It hadn’t taken very much time for him to realized that she had been telling the truth. Among the senior portraits was Cho Alice’s. She didn’t look anything like Hana. With auburn hair, a heart-shaped face, and brown eyes, she possessed a friendliness and gentle beauty that Hana could never have. He turned to more pictures of her, seeing her with her friends and Minghao, most of them included Mingyu. They were part of various activities at school during their last year of high school. Minghao was completely different in these shots compared to when he hung out with Hana. In these photos he was actually happy and lively.

Seeing Minghao like this really threw Junhui for a loop. He thought he knew how his own brother looked like when he smiled or laughed, but now he wasn’t so sure. Maybe because it was high school, but the eighteen year old Minghao seemed to be enjoying his life, and that reflected in his eyes and grins. Alice, if only Junhui could remember her, must have been such a fun and sweet girl. The weirdest feeling was seeing a few shots of the seniors with him in the frame. It was the page that collected shots of the seniors’ siblings. There Junhui was, a sophomore posing with Minghao in front of the art buildings. That shot he remembered, but the one where he stood with all three seniors and their sisters, he totally blanked out.

It was personal, but Junhui couldn’t help reading Alice’s message to Minghao at the front of the yearbook. It was mostly inside jokes they shared with their friends, but one passage really made Hana’s actions unforgivable.

 

_Thanks for sticking around all these years. I really do want to thank you. Through all the chaos, you’ve been the one stable person in my life, the one I can always count on. The one who knows me best. Even when things at home went up in flames, you were always really supportive, and I’ll always be grateful for everything._

_Who knows where life will lead us after Graduation, but I hope that wherever we end up, we’ll still think about each other and what we’ve shared together._

_-Alice._

 

When Junhui went to put back the boxes at the barn, he realized that Minghao and Hana had come back at some point, and she had already left. He’d been so caught up in the pictures included in the box that he didn’t even realize it. The barn had the lights on, so he figured Minghao was upstairs, either working on something else, or avoiding him. For once, that was fine with him. He wasn’t sure how he would react now that he knew the truth.

At the plastic container where Junhui had taken the picture box and yearbook from, he noted that two boxes were missing instead of just the one he currently held. Curious, he checked the shelves and other containers around to make sure he hadn’t moved things out of the way earlier and forgot to put them back. He was still trying to find the missing box when he heard his brother shuffle things upstairs. Could Minghao have been looking at these, too? It was unlikely, but he might have come across them by chance. They weren’t exactly hidden away, especially since Junhui had just opened the container with them inside.

Against his better judgement, Junhui put back the box and went to check on him. The worse Minghao could do was yell at him, in which case he’d run down and back into the house. As Junhui made his way up the creaky stairs, he noticed the paintings Minghao had pulled from his collection. They looked somewhat familiar, but for some reason, Junhui couldn’t even remember when he painted them. One thing they shared in common, though: they were all black and white. Some had monochromatic accents, but mostly they were black and white scenery shots. Junhui recognized his brush strokes, but these appeared more life-like than his usual colored ones.

He reached the top step and looked for him. Minghao was standing on the other side of the room, next to the open French doors. In front of him was an easel supporting a black and white portrait of Alice. It was a profile shot from the top of her head down to her waist. She was grinning, looking down at something. Her dark hair tumbled down in big curls over her shoulder, covering half of her face. This must have been painted from a candid shot, Junhui thought as he approached slowly, still a little apprehensive.

Why had Minghao suddenly decided to pull all of these particular paintings out? Did he know who she was? As Junhui walked forward, his eyes found the missing photo box on the couch, opened, Alice’s pictures from their school days spread out on the cushions. The photo sitting on top was the one the painting was mirrored from. Finally, Junhui stopped a couple feet to his brother’s side, trying to read and gauge his expression.

Minghao’s face was smooth, relaxed. When he spoke and disturbed the silence, Junhui jumped a little. “How could I have forgotten her?”

Momentarily, Junhui froze. Blinking rapidly, he ventured, “It wasn’t your fault.” He came a little closer. “When did your memory come back?”

Shaking his head sadly, Minghao answered, “It hasn’t, not really, at least. I know who she is based on what Hana says, and by looking at these,” he gestured toward the pictures, “But I don’t... I don’t remember her... us.”

Junhui sorted out through those statements. “Wait, ‘what Hana said’? She told you?”

“Yeah, today. She asked me to take her to Diamond Creek Memorial. At first, I thought it was weird, but then she showed me Alice’s grave. A sudden sadness overtook me, and I had no idea why I was feeling so strongly for an apparent stranger.” He sighed. “When I came back, I tried to jog my memory, but it’s all gone.”

They both gazed at her portrait for a moment, then he said, “I know that she was the reason Mingyu and I got into this black and white phase. A song inspired her to think that sometimes, less is more, and by using only shades of grays, one would be able to create a picture more beautiful than colors ever could. I picked up my brushes, and Gyu grabbed his camera.” With the comment, he pointed to the stack of photos.

“She was right,” Junhui said softly, taking in all the art pieces around them and sat on the edge of the old couch.

He smiled lightly. “Yeah.”

As he simply stood there like a man who’s lost his soul, Junhui couldn’t help but feel the guilt crush him. “Hao, I’m sorry.” He turned over his shoulder to look at the younger. “I shouldn’t have pushed her—shouldn’t have pushed you so far... I’m sorry.”

“What are you talking about?”

“If I hadn’t wanted to get to the bottom of this, if I didn’t meddle into your business, then you—”

“Then I wouldn’t have found out?” Junhui nodded, and Minghao smiled faintly. “I’m not so sure it’s such a better alternative, either. At least now I can go back and see what I had and start paying Alice the respect that I should’ve been doing all these years.”

“What are you going to do about Hana?”

He shrugged. “There’s not much I can do. What I feel and what my brain says are two very different things. Even when I know I shouldn’t have feelings for her, I can’t help it.”

Junhui nodded, understanding. “You’re trapped.”

“That’s one way of seeing it.”

“How else am I supposed to think about it?”

“I’m lucid,” he stated. “She thinks—hopes—that if she stops administrating me those bottles, the effects might slowly fade away, although she doesn’t guarantee anything.”

“So you’re still gonna have those herbs around to control your moods?”

“To keep them under control? Yeah, guess so.”

Shaking his head, Junhui sighed. “I wish there was a real solution.”

“Yeah,” he agreed sadly.

Junhui knew Minghao probably needed time alone to sort all these things, so he decided to give him some space. “You might want to check out the rest of the container. It has your stuff from junior and senior year, along with the yearbook.”

He nodded absently, gazing at the photos again. “Okay.”

“I’ll see you later.” Junhui made to stand up, but he stopped him.

“Jun, wait.” He looked up, trying to see if he needed him to do something for him. “I’m sorry for what I did over the past couple days.”

Smiling, Junhui poked his stomach and said, “It wasn’t you, it’s okay.”

Adopting a serious expression, Minghao held his wrist and shook his head. “Regardless, you deserve an apology. I…” He sighed, rubbing his face. “I didn’t mean those things. You _have_ to know that. Fuck.” With a frustrated groan, he looked at the ceiling. “I spent so long telling you to ignore the hateful comments about our family, and in one night, I undid it all.”

“Hey.” Junhui tugged on his shirt until he looked at him. He smiled genuinely. “It’s okay. I… I got over it. And besides, it’s not like you lied. It’s okay.”

Minghao’s mouth formed a thin line. “It’s not. It was a bunch of bullshit meant to hurt. Not the truth. The truth is we’re family, regardless of blood. You’re not to blame for getting sick. And you’re definitely not at fault for all the shit people say about us in town. I don’t care how long it’ll take this time, but I’m gonna make sure you know that.”

Junhui couldn’t help from laughing, even more so when Minghao appeared so serious. It felt… good. He had no idea where their bond stood now, considering the mind warp, but it didn’t matter, because Minghao was right. They were family no matter what. “Okay. It’s a promise.”

Finally, Minghao cracked a smile and flicked his forehead. “It’s a promise.”

Pretending to be hurt, Junhui pouted and rubbed at the spot.

“Thanks for watching out for me,” Minghao said, patting his head.

“This should make up for all those times you stood up for me,” Junhui replied with a grin, and he reciprocated the gesture as Junhui hugged him.

Leaving the barn, Junhui met up with Soonyoung later to tell him of everything that had happened. They met up at the playground next to the library since it was halfway between their houses. By the time Junhui got through everything, Soonyoung had quite a few questions and comments.

“Wow... That’s a pretty major turn of events!” he exclaimed. “Did he mention why she told him?”

“Not really, but I think her conscience had a lot to do with that.”

Soonyoung sat still for a minute, then commented, “You know, maybe, and this is a huge maybe,” he glanced at him, “maybe… deep down, she does love him, like genuinely. It was a totally wrong way of going about it, but the fact that she did come clean and faced his wrath shows that she does value and feel strongly enough about him to confess.”

“I guess,” Junhui replied, finding himself agreeing to the statement. “It ruined any real chance of him ever returning her feelings now.”

“True,” he noted with a shrug. “You reap what you sow, after all.”

After the initial comments came Soonyoung’s questions. Some of them were easy enough to answer, such as whether Junhui could feel anything magical when he handled the dolls, if Hyejin knew about anything, etc. The next few points he made were harder to dodge.

Junhui hadn’t told him about the Alcaeus Clan at all, skipping that part and making the whole conversation with Hana as general as possible. However, Soonyoung was a smart cookie, and he spotted the holes.

“You said that she’s not a real witch, so she can’t actually undo the spell,” he summarized, and Junhui nodded, “Then where did she get all the stuff?”

“I told you, someone gave her the supplies, and in return she had to find a way to get to me via Minghao.”

“Yeah, but who is that ‘someone’ that you’re referring to?”

Uncomfortable, Junhui shifted slightly on the bench. “I didn’t really ask. Probably someone shady.”

“You are such a liar!” he laughed, still thinking this was funny. “Hana tells you that she was commissioned by ‘someone’ to haul in your ass, and you didn’t bother to ask her who it was?”

“I was more concerned with Minghao. Besides, she said they gave up, so why bother?”

“Come on, I know you know.” Soonyoung was serious now. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing,” he insisted. He knew that if he gave him even a little piece, Soonyoung would end up getting him to spill everything, including what Wonwoo was. And that he just couldn’t risk it. Wonwoo might not be here now, but that didn’t mean his threat wasn’t still viable if he came back. Besides, Junhui gave him his word. It was hardly his secret to share.

Soonyoung narrowed his eyes, watching him. “This has something to do with that thing inside of you, doesn’t it?” he guessed, and Junhui nodded because he was half correct. “What is so important that you can’t even tell me?”

“Because it’s not just about me,” he blurted out. “And I made a promise.”

“To whom?” His gaze was piercing, and Junhui had to look away. Sighing with disappointment, Soonyoung shook his head. “You can’t even trust me enough to tell me that much.”

“It’s not a question of trust,” he told him.

“Then what’s the deal?” he snapped, starting to get exasperated with him. “You had no problem breaking into someone’s apartment, but now you can’t even tell me what’s really going on when I’m worried about you?” Huffing, he looked away at the empty swing set and slide. “Does this relate back to Jeon Wonwoo?”

Eyes wide, Junhui looked over at him. “What?”

“That’s the only explanation. Besides, this isn’t the first time you’ve acted strange when it comes to him. If it had been anyone else, after he’s seen you bleed, you would have _completely_ freaked out. What does he have over you? Did he threaten to expose you if you told whatever is going on? Is he _dangerous?_ ”

“No!” Junhui shouted before he could stop himself. “Look,” he sighed, “Wonwoo doesn’t have anything over my head, it’s more like the opposite.” Soonyoung stared at him, trying to understand what he was saying. “He made me promise not to tell, and I can’t break that promise. I can tell you that it’s nothing bad, neither to me nor to anyone.”

“Then how is it connected to what Hana got going?” he questioned.

“In a convoluted way, it might be linked to Wonwoo, but other than that, even I’m not sure.” As far as Junhui knew, some of the Clan people were in contact with her to find out more about Junhui. Anything outside of what she said, he had no other insight.

“Okay,” Soonyoung relented eventually, although he knew his friend was still not satisfied at the fact that he kept things from him. “Well, I better get home.” Standing up, he looked down at him. “Wish Minghao a good recovery, and tell him to stay away from Hana. I’ll see you, Jun.” Just like that, he left him sitting on the bench by himself, watching him bike away.

Halfway home, Junhui decided to stop. He didn’t feel good, and he needed a quiet space to come into terms with the past few days. Having Soonyoung mad at him didn’t help, either. So instead of taking the road to the house, he turned toward the Clearing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waaaaaahhhhhhh. so yeah. poor hao 😔 does hana deserve a browning point for coming clean? (idk, even if she does, her score is so abysmal, it won't do much). POOR MINGHAO'S BRAIN
> 
> at least 8jun made up. i know we're all sad bc of what hao said to jun, but like, imagine how HAO must be feeling now that he's back to normal (ish). as jun said, he had spent YEARS comforting and protecting his brother against the haters, and then he just goes and destroys it... poor hao... but it's ok! protective big bro hao will triumph! (watch out, wonu LOL)
> 
> GyuHao peeps, please put down your torches. idk if it came across, but the whole Hao/Alice thing is more like, childhood friend turned young love. GYUHAO IS TRUE LOVE™ (when i was editing this, i was contemplating making it Gyu, and then have Hao end up single at the end of the book so he could grieve Gyu, but then NOPE. TOO SAD. NOT GONNA HAPPEN. So an OC was necessary.)
> 
> as for the soonhui... *sigh* if i were soonie, i'd feel miffed too. as much of a wonhui shipper as he is, he's also jun's BFF and he's worried (wouldn't you be worried if you're BFF was jun? let's be real)
> 
> BUT FOR THE GOOD NEWS: WONWOO COMES BACK NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH. well, it's a Wonu POV, so i'll post it in a few days. BUT HURRAYYYYYYYY!!! 
> 
> As always, thank you very much for reading! See you soon!  
> xoxoxo


	20. Hourglass

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo is given an alternative solution to his problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! as promised, here's the short Wonu POV. god, i missed him. 
> 
> emphasis on _short_ chapter though. 
> 
> anyway, i hope it's worth the wait... happy reading!
> 
> -

 

 

_ July _

 

Emerging from the freezing depth of the Tarac River, Wonwoo swam to shore and pulled himself out. He shook the water out of his hair and contemplated the river bed under the cool glow of moonlight. Once reaching a distance downward of over twenty feet, the water had drained to almost half. The rate at which it emptied had slowed thanks to the other three Stones embedded in the bottom, but unless he could locate the last one, this was merely like watching an hourglass. Every day, every minute, the grains of sand trickled down.

With the Alcaeus village at his back, he could feel every person’s expectations of him weighing down on his shoulders. He’d chosen to return during the night while the village slept to avoid seeing anyone and ultimately dash their hopes. The region was still; only the soft singing of the river kept him company. Very far away in the trees, an owl hooted. After hunting for the Stone around Diamond Creek in vain, he was starting to think that he’d completely lost the ability to track magical artifacts.

Standing here now, though, he could pick up on the energy pulsating from the Stones at the bottom of the river. So it wasn’t that he lost his capacity. For whatever reason, the trail simply evaded him. Numerous times during his search, he’d come across just feeble traces, but all of them had led him on no more than wild chases, resulting in absolutely nothing substantial.

“Would my hope be misplaced if I thought that you have brought back the last Stone?”

Startled out of his thoughts by the voice, Wonwoo looked over his shoulder to see Keegan, the head of the Elders, making his way toward him. This was just perfect. He repressed the urge to grind his teeth.

“I haven’t found it,” Wonwoo said, a wave of shame washing over him. “I apologize.” Lowering his head, he braced himself for what was to come.

Running into one of them was a risk he gambled with, now he had to face it. If he was lucky, Keegan would merely give him a few good lashes, accompanied by some shock therapy before sending him off. Wonwoo didn’t want to think about the severity of the punishment if he’d been unlucky enough to have woken Keegan up _and_ bring him unsatisfactory news.

“While your apology is sincere, it is not going to put the Stone back,” Keegan replied, the same air of disappointment Wonwoo had come to loath. “At any rate, what are you doing here? We agreed that you would not come back to the village unless you had the Stone with you.”

“It’s been a week now, and I still haven’t been able to pick up the trail. I thought that if I was close to the sources, I might have better luck discerning the trace of the last one.”

“Not a week—four, almost five weeks, Wonwoo, that we’ve sent you on this mission,” Keegan corrected him, that smug grin on his face. “As you can see, there isn’t much time left before we are deprived of its water.”

“Why not fill up tanks with it while we can?” Wonwoo suggested. Surely, that would buy them some time.

Keegan glared at him, and Wonwoo realized too late that he spoke out of turn. “Are you suggesting a shortcut? Cutting off corners merely creates more.”

Unable to hold his scrutinizing stare any longer, Wonwoo looked away, burying his hands into his wet hair. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I can’t do this job.”

“That is not completely true, now is it?” Keegan smirked. “We both know the reason for this odd behavior, and why you have apparently lost your skills.”

A chill ran down the younger’s spine as Wonwoo turned back to face him. Keegan grinned widely, nodding.

“Yes. Young Wen Junhui. Or rather, it is what is inside of him that is disturbing your inner working and thoughts.”

“How do you even know about him?” Wonwoo asked, shocked. Did Minsoo tell them? That sounded unlikely.

“Your mother mentioned a boy working with you,” he said. “She thought that the boy might prove to be a distraction—a different sort of distraction—so I sent someone to check. As it turns out, Wen Junhui is the one who shares the same Crystal as you. What a twist of fate!”

“No,” Wonwoo shook his head, unwilling to go where Keegan was leading this conversation. “I left town, and even out of his proximity, I still can’t pick up the trail. It’s got nothing to do with Junhui.”

“Wonwoo, listen to me.” Keegan slithered closer to him, lowering his voice. “Do not get sidetracked. Use your brain and recall the first couple days you spent in Diamond Creek, before the Crystal began working anew. You had sensed the pull of the Stone, did you not? You were getting so close until the boy got in the way. Don’t you wish you could go back to the feeling of control? What you feel right now is but merely a fraction of what you used to feel before the Crystal, correct? You’re not human, why should you be weighed down by their rules and emotions?”

Standing there, Wonwoo let the words filter through his head. The past week had been exhilarating. The other piece of Crystal missing, he didn’t feel it work as potently as it would if he had stayed in Diamond Creek. If he had stayed by Junhui’s side.

It felt like old times, when he could control his thoughts without some sort of conscience muttering in the back of his mind. He wanted that feeling back. Suddenly, being here, at home, he felt the beast clawing at its restraints—wanting to be released. It had been chained back for too long, and the amount of freedom it got to taste when he left town had caused it to hunger for more. Keegan was right, Wonwoo wasn’t human. Why should he conform to their rules? Why should he let this Crystal lead his life?

“Think about how proud you would make your father if he were still among us,” Keegan continued. “Giving up now would be the cowardly way to retreat, and we know you’re not one to give up without a fight. You want to redeem the Jeon line, and this is how you can accomplish it. Imagine how many lives you will save when you return with the Stone. The people will love you, just like they loved Taeseung. But unlike Taeseung, you are not weak. You will not succumb to the trifling matters brought on by that Crystal. You will stay focused, and you will thrive where he perished.”

“How do I get rid of it?” Wonwoo wanted to know, ready to rip it out of his body.

Heaving a sigh, Keegan backed away from him. “Unfortunately, there is nothing we can do to yours.” Wonwoo stared after him as the older paced around leisurely. “We can, however, bring you back to the state you were in before you met little Junhui.”

“Tell me what to do.”

“Problems are solved if you get rid of the unwanted variable.”

A cold bucket of water poured over his head as he jolted at the implied meaning. Brows furrowed, he asked, “You want me to kill off Junhui?” Wonwoo wanted to make his Clan proud, wanted to bring honor to his family. He wanted to save lives. But at the cost of Junhui’s life? Something bitter coated his mouth, and he scowled.

Before Wonwoo could think too much, Keegan interjected, “No, no, no!” he chuckled. “The boy himself is not the problem. Just the Crystal in him. I understand you might have come to be quite fond of the boy,” he commented with a laugh as if he found it endearing, “but don’t worry, those feelings will fade out soon enough.” Keegan didn’t give him time to even consider that. “Now, none of us can forcibly remove the Crystal from the body it’s in. You need to find a way for little Junhui to be willing to get rid of it. After it’s out of his body, destroy it. Without its existence, the piece working in you will slowly lose its powers, overridden by your actions and will turn dormant again.”

“Then I’ll be back to myself,” Wonwoo said.

“Yes,” he nodded approvingly, “you will.”

“And Junhui… will be fine?”

“Yes, isn’t that a nice bonus?” Keegan laughed. “Everything will return to the way it was, and the last few weeks in Diamond Creek will feel like they never existed. No more fighting with yourself, no more headaches, no more war raging in your frozen heart. Just the way it’s supposed to be! Finding the Stone would be quite simple after that.” As Keegan left him there alone, he added. “The faster you get this little task done, the faster you can come home a hero!”

 

More than anything, Wonwoo wanted what Keegan said to be true. For things to go back to the way they used to be before he ever set foot into Diamond Creek. However, the closer he got to town, the less likely that was going to be possible. Hardly had he entered the town limits that he felt _it._ Not the pulse that he wished he could have sensed, the pulse that would solve all his problems.

No.

What he felt was stronger, more powerful than any of the traces that crossed his path.

The other piece of Crystal reeled him in, and Wonwoo was powerless to fight back. It made him _want_ to get close to Junhui. As if being away for that long had left some sort of hole in his chest.

As soon as that thought flittered through his mind, Wonwoo tried to shake it off (unsuccessfully). How could it make him feel whole when he was never broken to begin with? It was an indescribable feeling, a ridiculous joy that caused the other half of himself to twist in pain and anger. And yet...

Wonwoo continued into town, unable to fight whatever was happening to him. Unwilling to pull away, to resist.

He was glad, however, that his route did not pass by Junhui’s house. He doubted he would have been able to bear it. The urge to see Junhui was strong enough as it were. Were he to get any closer, he was afraid he might end up at the younger’s bedroom window again.

Maybe this was caused by being away from the other half of the Crystal for too long. Returning now meant getting hit by its full intensity. Like wandering the darkness for years and years, only to finally step out into the light and getting knocked breathless and left blind.

While Wonwoo yearned to get closer to the source of this feeling, he knew that like the sun, if he got too close, it would come to consume and destroy him. He couldn’t afford that. He couldn’t afford to repeat the same mistake that Taeseung had made. Too many lives depended on him to succeeded.

No matter how much he craved. No matter who much he yearned for that warmth. He had to keep his heart frozen.

The hourglass was flipped. He had to act before Junhui eventually killed him the same way Mikyung led Taeseung to his downfall.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaahhhhhh WONWOO!!! ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚
> 
> can you just FEEL the angst brewing? mwuhahahahahahahaha. there shall be cute stuff first, though. you know, to make it better? and by "it" i mean the angst mwuahahahahaha. jk. sort of. 
> 
> I SWEAR THERE IS FLUFF AND CRINGE-WORTHY STUFF. just... gotta get over this hurdle first.
> 
> NEXT CHAPTER, YOU GUYS: THE WONHUI REUNION. EEEP!!!!
> 
> Thank you very much for reading! See you on Thursday! :D


	21. Indescribable Feelings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WonHui finally reunite, and feelings™ are mentioned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THIS IS IT, YOU GUYS. THE WONHUI REUNION ✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡ ngl, i cringed while editing ughghghghg. anyway, i hope it lives up to your expectations! and no worries... there will indeed be more cheese and cringe-y scenes later on 😅
> 
> WARNING: non-graphic violence and blood toward the latter half of the chapter.
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> -

 

 

At the edge of the Clearing, Junhui took off his shoes and treaded into the soft grass. The sun had set some time ago, but the field was lit up by the moonlight and the stars. Crickets sang in the shrubs, and a few fireflies circled the air. Momentarily distracted by these details, he didn’t look straight ahead until now. Directly in front of him on the other side of the field, Wonwoo stopped in his tracks when their eyes met. A weird, but pleasant, fluttering in his chest threw Junhui off for a second before he could find his voice again.

“Wonwoo,” he whispered, eyes lighting up and lips curling into a grin. “You’re here.” They resumed walking toward the center of the meadow, Junhui having to stop himself from running.

Wonwoo smiled faintly. “Hi, Junhui.”

“I never thought I’d see you again,” Junhui admitted as they got closer. With amusement, Wonwoo cocked an eyebrow. Quickly, the younger mulled over what he said, and how Wonwoo could come to interpret it. “I don’t mean it like that.”

“I know.” Chuckling, he sat down, facing the other.

“When did you come back?” Junhui wondered. With everything that went on with Minghao and Hana, he had somehow lost track of time.

“Very late last night,” Wonwoo answered. When the boy nodded, and merely looked upward at the air around them, he leaned back onto his palms and inquired, “Is everything okay?”

Preoccupied, Junhui shifted his attention back to him. “Hmm? Oh. Yeah. Everything’s all good.” He grinned.

Studying him, Wonwoo shook his head. “Lies don’t flatter you.”

Junhui winced. Lowering his gaze to play with the blades of grass, he asked sheepishly, “What makes you say that?”

“Weren’t you the one who said you came here in order to escape? Question is: what are you trying to escape, this late in the evening, no less.”

To stall, Junhui took in a breath and released it, staring off into the distance where the fireflies dotted the dark with bright spots. “I’m not exactly escaping anything.”

“Then why are you here?”

Glancing up, Junhui kept eye contact with Wonwoo’s sharp eyes, now glowing almost brighter than the fireflies. “Why are _you_ here?”

A faint grin pulled on his lips as Wonwoo broke their gaze to watch the surrounding. “I’m here for wishful thinking.” He aimed his attention back to his companion. “Your turn.”

Junhui didn’t actually want to talk about it. His coping mechanism had always been to sleep and eat the stress away, not wanting to burden anyone with his own troubles. But Wonwoo didn’t look like he’d give up. So after squirming under his unrelenting gaze for a few seconds, he accepted defeat.

“A lot happened while you were gone,” he started, his voice tight. Wonwoo nodded for him to go on, his expression clearly more grim now. After a few minutes, Junhui told him everything. When he got to the part where Hana might have made a deal with his Clan people in order to deliver him to them, Wonwoo furrowed his eyebrows as if trying to make sense of it, as well. He didn’t comment on it, though, and Junhui finished with telling him about upsetting Soonyoung.

“If you thought I was gone, why didn’t you tell him?” Wonwoo wondered genuinely.

Shrugging, Junhui plucked a grass blade and twisted it in his hands. “Because... I guess, I still held on to you coming back one day.” Averting his eyes, he added, “Besides, I couldn’t break my promise.”

“One I coerced you to make,” Wonwoo interjected as if he needed a reminder.

“Maybe, but still a promise, nonetheless. You kept your word and didn’t tell anyone about me, right?”

Something crossed Wonwoo’s eyes, but it came and went too quickly for the younger to determine what it meant. It might also have been shadows playing over the planes of his face. “But it caused your fight with Soonyoung,” he said, getting them back on topic before Junhui’s imagination took flight again.

The latter shrugged. “Yeah, but I know Hoshi. He’ll understand. Besides, if our friendship is as strong as I believe it to be, we’ll pull through without breaking anything. It just makes me feel bad keeping things from him. But I made my promise to you first, so.” He shrugged again.

Returning to his initial good humor, Wonwoo commented, “Sometimes you’re too damn pure-hearted for your own good.”

Laughing, Junhui shook his head. “I am not.” Seeing that Wonwoo wasn’t letting it go, he allowed the slight possibility. “Guess I can blame my Crystal for that.” His companion chuckled and nodded. They sat quietly for a minute until Junhui noticed, “You seem to be doing better handling yours.”

“Does it really look that way?” he arched a brow, apparently finding that humorous. “The only reason is probably you. You’re sitting right here, appeasing it.”

A blush began to creep its way to Junhui’s cheeks, and he was grateful for the darkness. Although considering his nature, Wonwoo could probably see it warming the younger’s face. Junhui pulled up a leg to rest his cheek on it, hiding it as best as he could.

Wonwoo went on, a smirk in his voice, “The farther I am away from you, the less potent the pull is. In a way, it was almost nonexistent all this time I was gone.”

“So,” Junhui looked at him, “While you were away, you were more like... them.”

Wonwoo nodded, an unreadable expression on his face.

“Well, that’s good, isn’t it? It’s what you wanted.”

Breaking their gaze, Wonwoo focused on the grass. “I suppose.”

Another few heartbeats passed before Junhui found something to break through the heavy pause. “Does your return here mean that you weren’t able to find the Stone?”

Wonwoo sighed quietly. “Yeah, it’s still out there somewhere.”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, making the older turn to him. “It’s because of me that you can’t focus.” Letting out a small laugh, Junhui said, “There goes another reason.”

“Another reason,” he repeated. “For what?”

“I know it’s ridiculous, but sometimes I really do wish I didn’t have this thing inside of me. I wouldn’t have lost my dad, and Jaehyun would still have his mom. Fast forward a few years, no one would have commissioned Hana to brainwash my brother in order to get to me, and he wouldn’t be stuck in this weird fog now.” His eyes set on the other’s. “And you would have probably been able to save your Clan already.”

Wonwoo didn’t comment. He merely studied him intently. Finally, he asked, “Would you ever consider removing it, hypothetically speaking?”

Junhui shrugged. “It’s a little late for that now.”

He didn’t reply.

After a long moment without any other inputs from him, Wonwoo called softly, “Junhui? What are you thinking about?”

Blinking, he tried to focus on him. “Nothing. Just… how great the distance some people are willing to travel in order to taste love. Or even to just pretend that they are in love. Something that should be simple, is in reality one of the most complex powers.”

“And you know something about that?” he asked, skeptical.

“Not personally,” Junhui admitted. “But look at Minghao’s weird love issues. On one hand, what he and Alice had together was pure and genuine love. They were childhood friends, they grew into their feelings of friendship, which eventually romantic. That’s why he was completely destroyed after she died, and why now, even though he has no idea who she is, there’s still something keeping him tethered to her. Even if it was only a tender first love, with no deeper attachment, it still meant something important.

“Then there’s Hana, who fabricated everything. In essence, she did feed him _pure_ love in the sense that it was the raw emotion, yet she could never reach his heart. Despite still having to love her now, Minghao can easily push it away and focus on mourning Alice’s memory. Since it wasn’t real, love destroyed instead of strengthening that relationship.”

Wonwoo sat still for a second, then corrected him. “Love isn’t power, Junhui. It’s a weakness. The more you invest in someone, the more you lose when they’re gone. Then you’re left with nothing. Either real or not, love destroys.”

“You only say that because of Taeseung and Mikyung,” Junhui argued. “I don’t condone what they did when they left, but you need to look at it from another angle. Because he loved her and trusted her, she gave him the strength to leave the security of his home, and the same applied to what he gave her. I mean, for all we know, it’s because of their love that these Crystals were created in the first place.”

Wonwoo stared him, his face now marred with contempt.

“We wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for them,” Junhui added, and he groaned, rolling his eyes.

“You are such a naive romantic.”

“Are you really gonna go through your entire life without letting yourself love anyone?” Junhui questioned. “What about Minsoo? I mean, I know it’s familial love, but it’s still love, nonetheless.” Wonwoo had mentioned how protective and caring he was over his cousin, and Minsoo seemed to regard him with such admiration. So it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to presume that Wonwoo was capable of feeling love.

“I only do it out of obligation,” he replied quickly, getting to his feet.

Junhui wasn’t sure if he was actually leaving or just trying to get him to drop the subject, but he wasn’t going to leave it at that. “Then you’ll let your heart stay frozen forever,” he suggested, going after him.

Laughing dryly, Wonwoo concurred, “If I thought I had a choice, I would, yes.”

“Don’t you?”

Wonwoo spun around, ready to tell him off when he stopped mid-breath. Half a second later, Junhui heard faint shouting and laughing in the distance. Since everything was so still all around, noise and voices carried easily in the wind.

“Stay still,” he told him.

No problem there.

From what Junhui could tell, it sounded like a bunch of underaged kids with stolen alcohol who stowed away into the woods to drink and party without getting caught. If that were the case, then there was no need for Wonwoo to worry.

Junhui voiced the guess, and Wonwoo nodded in agreement. “They might just be stupid teenagers,” he said, “But we should get going before they realize that this spot exists.” Taking his hand, Wonwoo led him away. “Come on, I’ll walk you home.”

Somehow, the fact that Wonwoo remembered (and even cared about) how special this place was to Junhui warmed his heart. That was a natural thought when anyone did something nice for you. What made the fluttering in his chest reappear, however, was the sensation of Wonwoo’s cool hand enveloping his own. In his logical mind, Junhui knew it wasn’t a romantic gesture. Wonwoo was just leading him away, so where did this frisson suddenly come from? Was it just a reaction to having an attractive boy hold his hand? That would perhaps explain it, if it wasn’t for the fact that it had first manifested when Wonwoo stood across the field from him. The only thing connecting Junhui to him then had been their gazes.

Junhui had to distract himself.

While Wonwoo waited for him to put back his shoes, he kicked the bike stand and took over the handlebars. As they began to walk, Wonwoo led the bike on his left so that Junhui wouldn’t get hit by the pedal. It was a nice consideration, except for the fact that it left the both of them walking side by side. If it had been any other night prior to this one, Junhui wouldn’t have minded—nor even paid much attention, if he were to be honest. Now that this weird sensation had made appearances, he was made very aware of the person mere inches away from him.

Obviously, it wasn’t to say that he could ever ignore Wonwoo’s presence. More like the fact that he felt nervous, but a whole new kind of nervous, with the older walking so close to him. And for the life of him, Junhui had no idea where this was coming from.

Once the two of them moved out of the woods and began to cross onto the abandoned field, Junhui went back to the topic they had been discussing before the interruption. He needed to keep talking to get his mind away from the fluttering in his chest and the warmth spreading across his body.

“What did you mean when you said that you might not have a choice?”

Wonwoo glanced over at him, then answered, “I’ve been in denial for a while, but it can’t stop the fact that my heart might be thawing.”

Surprised, Junhui took his focus off of the road to look at him with round eyes. “Why? What happened?”

“You mean you haven’t noticed?” Wonwoo wondered with a chuckle.

“Well,” Junhui reflected, “You have been nicer to me, but I figured that was just a side-effect of the Crystal, and you being more in control of it.”

“I suppose that’s one explanation.”

“What’s the other?”

The sound of their footsteps and the wheels of the bike rolling over the dirt were the only sounds for a while. “Can’t you guess?” Wonwoo asked. The tone of his voice was a mix between amusement and slight annoyance.

Nervously, Junhui watched him. “Me, again?”

“Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner.” His monotone made him feel even worse, but sadly, it did nothing to help the fluttering.

Junhui sighed. “What a crappy week this has turned out to be.”

“Tell me about it,” he echoed his companion’s mood.

“Well, is there some way I can help?” Junhui volunteered after a moment.

Puzzled, Wonwoo arched an eyebrow. “You want to help freeze my heart?”

“Not in so many words,” he replied with a wince.

“Shouldn’t you be glad? I expected you to be somewhat happy. The pure and innocent Junhui has managed to soften the demon’s heart.” Again, his sarcasm did nothing to help how he was feeling.

“Yeah, I would be,” Junhui admitted, “But unless you welcomed and returned the sentiment, I would be no different than Hana.”

“‘Return the sentiment,’” Wonwoo restated, looking over at him with a peculiar expression that made Junhui want to go dig a hole to hide in it. “Are you suggesting you have feelings for me?”

Heat burned his ears and cheeks, rising up to tingle his scalp even. If there was a perfect moment for some kind of natural disaster to suddenly whisk him away and hurt no one else, _this_ moment would be the one. Junhui would volunteer with both hands and feet. Currently, he was just about to die of embarrassment anyway. Somehow, he still found it possible to speak in complete sentences. Mostly.

“I’m not... sure. It’s hard to explain… what it is I’m feeling,” he said, keeping his eyes forward. “But it got kind of stronger as we talked tonight.” He clutched his shirt, fist rubbing against his heart.

“Something like a pull?” Wonwoo asked. “Your heart beating faster, a fluttering in your chest and stomach?” Surprised that the older could put into words what he couldn’t, Junhui stared at him, gaping. “And without any reason whatsoever, you just feel good? As if for the first time, you feel whole and complete?”

“Yeah!” He nodded energetically. “How do you know?”

Wonwoo met his gaze evenly. “Because I feel it, too.”

For a second, he thought he heard wrong. Junhui blinked, completely losing track of the situation now. His stomach swooped, and the fluttering of his heart quickened like a thousand hummingbirds.

Wonwoo elaborated, “Last night on my way here, as soon as I crossed the town limit, it came down on me like a ton of bricks. I thought I was the only one affected by the Crystals, but maybe not.”

“Oh.” The light in his eyes dimmed. It was strange, but Junhui didn’t like hearing that this feeling might be created by the Crystals. “So, we’re not really...”

Glancing at him, Wonwoo shook his head slowly, contemplating something. “I wouldn’t think so, which should be reassuring for you.” Junhui looked at him, waiting for clarification. How could this be beneficial to him in any way whatsoever?

Raw and honest, Wonwoo said, “I’m not good for you.”

Not replying, Junhui nodded and turned his attention back on the road. If what Wonwoo said was true, then Junhui didn’t actually harbor any real feelings toward him. Consequently, that comment shouldn’t be taken as a gentle rejection. Yet his mind still interpreted it as one. Now he felt lousy. His shoulders drooped.

“Why is it only apparent now?” Junhui asked him. Reflecting back on the past weeks, Wonwoo hadn’t provoked any other emotion from him aside from anxiety and fear until probably the day Junhui helped him on the side of the road. After that, they got stuck in the Jeon basement, and Junhui told him the truth about his past. At that point, Junhui had found himself growing softer toward him—and sure, his heart would squeeze and race whenever anyone mentioned Wonwoo’s name—but it was nothing compared to this incessant feeling.

“You only feel it now?” Wonwoo wondered, curious.

Again, under his gaze, Junhui squirmed. “Nothing as strong as tonight,” he admitted. “When have you started noticing it?”

For the first time coming across as somewhat nervous, Wonwoo rubbed one hand over the back of his neck. “It might be due to distance,” he explained now, obviously avoiding the question. “It’s probably been under the surface throughout the summer, but when I left and returned, it just seemed more acute.”

Junhui held on to that explanation and mulled it over on the way home. The way Wonwoo still held his composure about the whole thing sort of irritated him. Especially when the situation unnerved him, still. In the past, when he had crushes, he was conscious of them. The emotions didn’t come out of nowhere and hit him over the head. As if that weren’t enough, now he was told that they weren’t even real, mere creations of the pieces of Crystals in them. Junhui pouted.

Arriving at the house, Wonwoo stopped in front of the porch. The house was dark, and so was the barn. Either it was much later than Junhui thought, or both Hyejin and Minghao went to bed before either could worry that Junhui was still out so late. As Wonwoo leaned the bike on the railing, Junhui wished he could just say goodbye and slide under his covers and not come up for a while.

“Thanks for the walk home,” he said. Realizing how dejected he sounded, he cleared his throat, and put on a smile. “So are you gonna resume the renovation work then?”

“Yeah, for the time being,” he answered, although distracted for some reason. Junhui didn’t really look at him.

“Okay,” he nodded. “So I’ll see you tomorrow at the same time. Goodnight.” Not waiting for him to respond, Junhui turned on his heels and proceeded to the steps as fast as he could.

Apparently, that wasn’t fast enough. Wonwoo took hold of the younger’s arm, gently pulling him back toward him. “Hey, are you okay?”

Even though Wonwoo tried to search his face, Junhui did an adequate job of moving away, laughing a little as he rubbed his eye with his free hand. “Yeah, I’m just tired.” Despite the firm hold, Wonwoo didn’t force him. Junhui could easily wring himself free and enter the house. And yet he stood there, lingering under Wonwoo’s cool gaze.

Long enough for him to comment, “You’re not missing out on anything meaningful with me. If you ever get the chance to talk to Minsoo, she’ll explain it in great details.”

“I don’t think Minsoo is the sort of girl who would talk smack about people,” Junhui replied, risking a peek at him.

“How would you know that?”

“I met her while you were away; I guess I should’ve mentioned it earlier.” Shifting his weight from one foot to the other, Junhui went on, “I was upset about Minghao and our fight. She was trying to hunt at the time,” he giggled, recalling the meeting. “But she decided on roots and veggies instead. Anyway, I guess she heard me crying, and she came to check on me.”

“Was that it?”

“Pretty much.” He shrugged. “Then she told me to get inside because it wasn’t safe to be around at night when you weren’t nearby.” The last part, Junhui muttered to his shoes.

Wonwoo sighed, then noted, “To be honest, I don’t think you’re all that safe around me, either.”

“I would probably still take my chances with you, though,” he mumbled, hoping the other wouldn’t hear him. Kicking at the pebbles at his feet, Junhui mustered up a bright smile. “Well, I guess I should get to bed.”

Nodding, he agreed. “Right, it’s probably past your usual bedtime,” he teased.

Junhui pouted. “I’m not a kid. Besides, my bedtime hasn’t exactly been your concern that one night.”

Ruefully, Wonwoo chuckled softly with a nod. “You were upset with me, I had to do something.”

To hide just how that made him feel, Junhui bit off the smile that slowly formed, twisting to look at the bush of rosemary nearby. “My emotional state hasn’t been part of your priorities before, either,” he remarked. “You didn’t really need to act so rashly.”

“And you didn’t have to show me so much consideration and kindness, but you did it anyway,” Wonwoo replied. “Sometimes we do things despite our best judgment.” The two locked eyes for a second, and a flicker crossed Wonwoo’s face. “Sweet dreams, Junhui.”

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

Wen Junhui, you will be the death of him.

What started out as a longing had turned into a desperate craving. Now Wonwoo wanted more.

How easy it was to find Junhui was extraordinary. Wonwoo had told himself that he would just stop by and see how things were doing, then he’d find some excuse to leave. Little did he know what to expect when he finally stood in front of him. That indescribable wonderful, yet revolting, rush of emotions simply overflowed. What passed through him on the ride into town last night was nothing in comparison to tonight. He had thought that he could satisfy himself (and the Crystal) with just a few minutes of Junhui’s company, but the next thing he knew, he had spent the entire evening with the boy. Instead of quenching the yearning, Wonwoo had unwittingly made it worse.

Now that he was away from him, it was easier to think. Rationally, Wonwoo had no idea how he was going to be able to ask Junhui to hand over his piece of Crystal. He didn’t even know if he _wanted_ to make the request.

How could one intentionally destroy the object that gave him so much elation? Because this incredible sensation _had_ to be caused by their Crystals. Nothing else could bring about this feeling. And if the impossibility on his part needed any more reinforcement, Junhui claimed he felt it, too. Evidently, Wonwoo had seen how much the boy came to care about him, but it was just general compassion for any living thing. A nice kid like Junhui would never, in a million years, experience that sort of affection toward a monster like him, not unless he was prompted by something other than his own heart.

To have to tell him (and most likely crush that fragile heart) that what he felt most likely wasn’t real turned out to be more difficult than Wonwoo had anticipated. Once upon a time, he couldn’t give a damn about carrying out an execution order from Keegan. Now he felt guilty for bursting Junhui’s fanciful notion of love and its glory. Just thinking about it made him sick. This Crystal was so troublesome.

 

Over the following couple days, Junhui showed up to work, and the two of them fell back into the rhythm. They finished painting and cleaning the first floor by the end of Tuesday. Having both of them focus on work seemed to lessen the effect of the Crystals toying with their emotional states. Still, Wonwoo found himself smiling just knowing Junhui was somewhere nearby. Every time he caught himself, though, he nearly drove a nail through his head to stop the absurdity. Junhui, on the other hand, seemed to be doing fine. He wanted to avoid any situation that might resemble their walk to his house that night. It had been painstakingly clear how vulnerable the younger had made himself then. Junhui had a tender heart, and even the monster inside of Wonwoo couldn’t bring itself to shatter it. Not yet.

For a while, the whole house project had seemed quite normal. Somehow, they had even found time to insert some laughs. It was so easy to lose himself to it all, and so he did. On Wednesday morning, though, he was thoroughly reminded of his duties.

Junhui had just gone up to the second floor to remove the wallpaper in the hall. Wonwoo was in the yard by the work bench, grabbing some tools for the repair of the air conditioning unit. He turned around, then halted when he saw the person there. Keegan approached slowly, eyeing the house, and cut his eyes to him.

“Good morning,” he greeted him with a cold tone.

“Keegan,” Wonwoo acknowledged him with a nod.

He walked to the work bench, running a finger on the surface. Bringing his fingers to his face, he squinted, rubbing the dirt and dust. “Has the boy arrived yet?”

“He’s in the house,” Wonwoo answered warily, watching him move around the table, studying the tools and various items set out.

“Hm.” He picked up a screwdriver, then set it down. “I came to announce some good news and some bad news.”

“What is it?” Although Wonwoo tried to keep his words level, his muscles were tensing.

“First, Balch and his boy succumbed to infection and died last night.”

Eyes wide, Wonwoo asked, “What? Why?” Balch’s wife passed away shortly after the birth of their child, and he had been raising the boy single-handedly for a dozen years. As far as Wonwoo knew, the father and son duo were healthy.

“They were badly injured during a hunt a few days ago. Warwick prepared the necessary medicine and brewed tonics, but the river’s potency hadn’t been enough to save them.”

“That’s never happened before,” Wonwoo said, brows furrowed.

“Mm.” Keegan shoved his hands into his pockets. “Indeed. Although I’m sure you can figure out why it’s come to that.”

Without the missing Stone, not only was the Tarac River drying out, it was losing its magical properties. Now their people couldn’t even survive past serious hunting injuries. How long until children and the weak perished from mild illnesses? Wonwoo gripped the handle of the hammer hard enough to shatter it.

Throwing a brief look at him, Keegan went on. “Fortunately, there is some good news as well. I have found a willing person to help us extract the Crystal from sweet little Junhui!” Keegan cheered, even though he hardly cracked a smile. Wonwoo’s stomach turned at his announcement. Keegan didn’t bother to notice the younger’s discomfort.

“Who?”

“The old witch who lives in the woods three miles from here: Nyosha.” Taken aback, Wonwoo stared at him, and he grinned. “Yes, you remember her. The same witch you went to seek answers. I don’t blame you at all, Wonwoo, so don’t worry about it.”

Keeping his eyes on him, Wonwoo moved as Keegan shifted, circling him. “I thought she was friends with Taeseung and Mikyung.”

“Oh, she is,” Keegan confirmed. “It took _quite_ some persuasion from Sanghun, but she eventually agreed to help the cause.”

Wonwoo looked away, ashamed. Sanghun had the ability to find your worse nightmares and project them into your mind as if you were living them out. The victim often died from the terror inflicted, rather than any physical injury.

“Now,” the head Elder got back to him. “I understand that you have learned some important information concerning Junhui’s willingness to part with his piece of Crystal.” Wonwoo’s eyes snapped up. “I expect you to take him to the witch by the end of Friday. The crone claims she needs to gather ingredients for the extraction process. Until then, by whatever means, I don’t care, talk the boy into giving it up to you.”

Keegan didn’t leave room for discussion, but as he turned his back on him, Wonwoo asked, “What happens if that kills him?”

Heaving an impatient sigh, Keegan faced him. “Then another human dies,” he responded flatly. “There are billions of them on the planet. Who cares if one of them dies?”

“I might,” Wonwoo found himself saying. “You said he’d be fine.”

“Oh, Wonwoo, please!” His voice rose like a parent scolding a child. “Don’t get emotional on me. Just do what is asked of you!”

“You and the rest knew that Junhui had the other piece of Crystal, from more than two years ago.” From what Junhui told him about the Clan’s involvement with Hana, he couldn’t figure out the logic. He needed answers. “Why did you still send me here, knowing I’d ultimately run into Junhui and his Crystal?”

Keegan stopped at the edge of the woods, his shoulders tensing.

“You knew what would happen to me, but you still did it! Why?”

Slowly turning around, the demon glared at him, obsidian eyes flashing. “We had to make sure that it was him. Sending you and seeing your piece react to his was our litmus test, so to speak. For years, we’ve been tracking and searching where that last piece could have landed. Finally, three years ago, we found it. We didn’t want it around to influence the Jeon line further, so we tried to get rid of it. That plan failed. Not only was that Cho brat not able to do her job, we realized that Junhui is as protected by the Crystal as you are from us. We can’t touch him.”

“That’s why you sent me, so I can do the dirty work for you?” Wonwoo demanded. “Get close enough, then betray him at the last minute.”

“As long as there is a surviving Crystal piece,” Keegan enunciated, “The Jeon line will forever be tainted. Even after we rinse your descendants’ blood of any trace of Mikyung’s, as long as another Crystal is alive, you run the risk of turning against us.” Giving him a hard look, he added, “We sent you on this mission so you can get rid of the last troublesome speck that risks ruining your bloodline, at the same time allowing you to claim glory that accompanies the return of the last health Stone.”

“What if I refused to destroy Junhui’s Crystal?” Wonwoo defied him.

“Are you disobeying a direct order?” he growled, clearly dumbfounded. Carefully, he retraced his steps toward the younger.

“The Crystals only work when we’re within a certain distance,” he explained. “Junhui doesn’t have to go through all th—.”

It came so fast, Wonwoo had no time at all to dodge. Although using that tone with him, he should’ve expected it. Keegan’s arm swung, striking him square in the jaw. Wonwoo heard the crunch of bones hitting bones before registering the pain.

He crashed into the work bench, bringing everything down onto his body. Shaking himself out of it, he scrambled on his feet, noticing that he’d slid backward almost to the kitchen wall. Not completely stable, he wobbled a bit, not seeing the other move.

Keegan kicked the back of his knees, forcing Wonwoo down on them. One hand holding his shoulder, he used his other arm to choke him.

“I’ve had just enough with you,” the demon growled by the side of his victim’s head. “Don’t flatter yourself and think that this Crystal will save your black soul. Bitterness bleeds out of your heart, just like the rest of us.” As he kept tightening his arm around him, Wonwoo grabbed hold of his arm and tried to pull it away so he could breathe before he blacked out. “We fed you, clothed you, raised you for all these years, now it’s time to pay your debt. We may not be able to kill either of you,” Keegan grounded out. “But that doesn’t mean that we can’t take you to the edge of death. Trust me, son,” he chuckled darkly, “You will wish you could die.”

Shoved aside, Wonwoo collided with the shards and broken wood planks.

Filling his lungs with oxygen, he grabbed at his side, feeling the distinct pain of a puncture. He looked down and winced as he pulled out the stake with its sharp tip covered in red. His breathing was labored, but he still looked up at the head Elder with loathing. He spit out a mouthful of blood.

Keegan glared down at him, disgusted. “Friday afternoon, Wonwoo. I will be waiting.”

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

Now that Junhui possessed what he’d like to think as experience in wallpaper removal, he had some idea on how to start and finish efficiently. After he mixed the solution, he began at the top of the stairs and sprayed the bottom of the wall all the way down to the end of the corridor. While he let the paper soak, he grabbed the wallpaper scorer and punctured the wall to help the process along. Although the hall was long, walking back and forth didn’t take up the necessary fifteen to twenty minutes for the solution to dilute the glue. As he sat against a door to wait, his mind began to wander to the key he had found in the nursery.

Lately, Junhui had taken the opportunity to look around while he and Wonwoo were cleaning up and moving furniture back and forth. Nothing that he could see on the first floor would fit the mysterious key. Then again, he thought, it might be a hidden door like the one behind the row of cabinets Wonwoo hid him in. If that were the case, he might never figure out what it opened. At least, not in this lifetime.

Groaning softly, he rested his head on the door. Instead of giving him support, the door creaked open, taking him with it.

“Ah!”

He landed on his back with a thud and sore elbows. Pulling himself together, he rubbed at his arms while he tried to determine what room this was. First, he checked the lock, positive that it had been completely shut. No one was inside, and the windows were closed, so it couldn’t have been the wind, either.

An eerie feeling crept up his check, and he shivered.

At first glance, this was just a bedroom. Albeit with the same rustic style as the rest of the house, but still only a bedroom, nonetheless. Pushed against the wall in the middle of the room was a four-poster bed, furnished with fluffy satiny pillows and matching comforter and sheets. The wood was a little darker than in the nursery, but it fit the ruby hues of the room. Next to the door, a little vanity set was installed. The mirror could definitely use some cleaning, he thought as he approached the chair and sat down. Stacked together on the table were a wash basin and a decanter made of porcelain. He checked the lock on the little drawer under the table, but it didn’t fit the key. It wasn’t even locked.

Before he shut it close, though, he noticed something etched in the corner of the drawer. He leaned down, trying to make out the characters. _Under the bed_.

Straightening up, he sat there eyeing the bed. Even if he knew it was completely ridiculous, he couldn’t stop his heart from beating a little faster as he got up and moved. All he could imagine as he got closer to the edge of the bed, was how something might be hiding under there, grabbing him and swallowing him into oblivion.

Getting his phone out of his pocket, he turned on the flashlight. He knelt down, pointing the light under the bed frame as he slowly lifted the flat sheet up. A sweep of the light showed no sign of monsters. Letting out a sigh of relief, he got on all four and wiggled his way underneath. As far as he could tell, there was nothing but dust bunnies under here, making him sneeze a few times. He didn’t give up searching every little crack, though. As shown with the photographs and the drawer, one needed to look exactly at the right place in order to find anything worthwhile. Battling more dust and old cobwebs, he arrived at the headboard. There was just one word carved into the wood: _Blackmoor._ What did that mean?

A loud crash coming from the yard startled him. He jerked, ending up hitting his head against the planks and metal bars. Groaning and rubbing his head, he scooted out of there fast. Was Wonwoo okay? Did something fall apart?

As he ran out to the hall to the window that overlooked the part of the yard where the crash had come from, he managed to remove the dust from his hair and clothes.

His jaw dropped when he peered out and saw the scene. The work bench Wonwoo had been using no longer stood in its spot. Actually, it wasn’t standing at all. The table, along with everything stocked on it, now laid twenty feet away. Among the broken pieces, Wonwoo struggled to get back on his feet. Slowly, he pulled his legs under himself and used his arms to prop him up. Junhui’s heart jumped into his throat, and his fingers gripped the window sill tighter. He couldn’t breathe.

Movement on his right made Junhui take his eyes off of Wonwoo for a second. A man, probably in his late forties, stood where the table used to be. He wore black pants and a jacket, and his short, blond hair seemed almost silver in the sunlight. It took Junhui a second to realize that the stranger was the cause of the crash, or rather, that he threw Wonwoo into the table, resulting in the crash. Junhui was still unsure what to make of this, but one blink was all it took for the man to get to Wonwoo.

He kicked Wonwoo from behind, sending the latter on his knees. Before he could fall forward, the man grabbed him in a death-choke. He leaned in close, telling Wonwoo something Junhui couldn’t hear.

Leaving his spot, Junhui ran down the stairs as fast as he could, jumping down several steps. He wasn’t sure what he could do, but he wasn’t going to stand there motionless. By the time he ran through the house and exited via the kitchen door, the man was at the edge of the woods.

Hearing movement, he glanced over his shoulder. Their eyes met, and Junhui shuddered at the vehemence in the depth of his gray eyes. He cast his eyes toward Wonwoo one more time, then disappeared into the trees.

Junhui sprinted toward the wreck, only to stop in his tracks. Wonwoo had pulled out a huge stake from his side, the bloody stick laid among the rubble. Now he grabbed at his side, his fingers smeared with his blood. Limping out, he glanced up and saw his volunteer. Not bothering to say anything, Junhui pushed through the debris and offered him his shoulders. Wonwoo didn’t complain, but he also tried not to lean too much of his weight on the younger. Steadily, they made their way to the kitchen.

Regardless of whether what Junhui felt for him was real or not, his heart still ached. Aside from the gash on his side, Wonwoo’s face was cut up and bruises were already starting to show under the skin. The iron and salty smell of blood was everywhere, making it harder to swallow the lump that had formed in his throat. Familiarly, the small cuts began to crystalize, and Wonwoo winced, biting down on his lip to contain the pain.

“Where did you put the lemons?” Junhui asked when they stopped by the counter. Gently, Wonwoo removed his arm from the younger’s shoulder and rested his weight on the surface.

“We're out. Limes are under the sink,” he gritted his teeth. “Bandages are down there, too. Kind of thought you’d use them before me, though.”

Seeing as his shirt was already streaked with red where Wonwoo had held him, Junhui took it off, leaving his t-shirt on. Balling the shirt into itself, he pressed it against the cut to stop the bleeding while he could prepare the hot water and citrus juice. Gingerly, Wonwoo’s hands brushed against his as he took over.

Ignoring the way his fingertips made his own skin tingle, Junhui went to the sink and opened the cabinet to grab the fruits and rolls of gauze. “What happened?” Junhui asked as he turned on the faucet.

“I was thrown into a table, too bad you didn’t see it. Must have been a spectacular sight.” The more he talked, the more bitter his words became.

“Was that man one of the Elders?” Grabbing the plastic mug also under the sink for the occasion, he filled it up with hot water and brought it over.

“What do you think?” Wonwoo retorted, squeezing half the lime into the mug with one hand.

Junhui rinsed the cloth by the sink, then dipped it into the hot mixture. Bending slightly, he pulled on Wonwoo’s bloodstained white tee as gently as possible. Wonwoo hissed and flinched away, but he stood still. This had to be deep, but not enough to puncture any organ and cause internal bleeding. Junhui pressed the cloth to the laceration. Another hiss escaped his lips, but Wonwoo was already occupying himself with the cuts on his arms. Once Junhui cleaned the gash, he unwrapped the gauze and bandaged him up.

“Thanks,” he muttered, glancing at him before going back to a cut by his clavicle.

Since Wonwoo couldn’t sit at the risk of worsening the severe wound at his side, Junhui hopped on the counter so he could reach better, then pulled out some more cotton balls from the first aid kit. The cotton saturated with the solution, he swatted Wonwoo’s hands away and applied it to his skin. After the initial refusal, he let the younger do the job. As Junhui worked, Wonwoo kept staring at him, but the latter didn’t make eye contact. It was as if his gaze were too intense, too probing.

“I wish we could take you to the hospital,” Junhui commented. “Are you sure you don’t need stitches?”

He shrugged. “I’ve had worse. It’ll heal in a couple days.”

Junhui reached for the cuts on his forehead, but the older stepped back, and Junhui dropped his hand. “Wonwoo, tell me what happened.”

Leaning over the surface, he stretched his arms out and fisted his hands, turning the knuckles white. “They’re starting to get less patient with me,” he spit out, the anger making him shake. “Keegan wanted to give me some motivation.”

Sighing, Junhui slumped his shoulders. “Is there nothing I can do to help?” he offered hopefully.

Shifting his glare toward him, Wonwoo growled. Junhui drew back slightly. “Just because you want to help doesn’t always mean you _can_ , Junhui. Moreover, have you ever considered that sometimes people might not want it?”

Keeping his gaze for a few seconds, Junhui eventually looked down at his hands. “I suppose not,” he whispered. Quietly, he slid down from his perch. Wonwoo followed him with his eyes.

Fisting his hands, he gritted out, “I’ll drive you home.”

“No! It’s… It’s okay. You’re hurt.” He risked a brief look, seeing sweat bead over his forehead, noting the tension all over his muscles. “I can walk home.”

Wonwoo didn’t respond, but the conflict and anger were evident in his expression.

Sneaking another peek at him, Junhui added, “I hope you get well soon.”

It took a long moment before Wonwoo released the repressed breath he’d been holding and nodded curtly at him. Junhui moved to the door, feeling his gaze following him out. Junhui understood his anger, so he didn’t linger.

To be beaten for something you can’t really control would obviously make even a normal person’s blood boil. It could only be worse for Wonwoo. As such, Junhui didn’t blame him for snapping earlier. What he had trouble understanding was the reason why Wonwoo got so livid when Junhui volunteered to help. His irritation toward Junhui’s tendency to meddle wasn’t anything new, but he’d never been so furious before. Did it have something with what that Elder came to say?

As he neared the remains of the scene, he saw the bloody trail and spike. Shuddering, he turned away. Right then, he heard Wonwoo throw something against the wall inside the house. He wanted to go back and check on him, but he knew it was a bad idea, so after waiting around a few seconds, he treaded to the gate.

It was hardly noon, so he decided to just walk home instead of going into town. He sent Minghao a text letting him know he didn’t need to come pick him up this afternoon, then headed for the dirt path off of the main road. As he got to about halfway down the hill, tires crunched twigs and dirt behind him. He turned around and saw a police car, with Seokmin at the wheel. He drove up next to him, then lowered the window.

“Hey, Jun! Need a ride?” he asked with a smile.

Quickly glancing at the house slightly visible through the trees, he nodded. “Sure. Thanks.”

Once he was buckled in, Seokmin started down the hill again. “What are you doing up here?”

“Just patrol route.”

“You have to do rounds all the way up here?”

“Now that there’s people living up here,” he said. “Besides, after the Fourth of July fiasco, we’ve been grilled to do more patrols at the edges of the woods around town.”

“That’s good,” Junhui commented, settling in the seat. He was glad to notice that his friend drove at a much reasonable speed than Wonwoo. Thinking of him again, he wondered if the older really would be okay. His heart squeezed, and he sighed to himself.

“Just a warning, though,” Seokmin pulled at his attention. “People have been reporting strange events, and we’ve found dead animals around.”

“Why would that be strange?” he asked. “Animals die of natural causes and others get eaten by bigger creatures.”

“Yeah, but what happens when you find the bigger creatures devoured?”

A chill ran down his spine, and he glanced at him. “Like, mountain lions and wildcats?”

His friend nodded, his face grim. “Devoured and shredded apart like no other animal we’ve seen in the past, here or anywhere else.”

Junhui’s mind went straight to the Alcaeus Clan. Wonwoo and Minsoo had admitted to hunt in the region, but he had a hard time believing that they would cause this much damage. For one, Wonwoo had been around for almost a month; people would have noticed it sooner. Besides, he doubted Wonwoo would be conspicuous in this reckless manner, not to mention, he and Minsoo hunted to feed. They wouldn’t leave shredded bodies laying around. So what was this about? The memory of the unidentified animal outside of his house that June night came to mind. Even now, Junhui had no idea what it was.

“What are you doing walking alone, anyway?” Seokmin asked, pulling him out of his reverie.

“Oh, um.” He had to think of something reasonable. “Wonwoo had a guest, so I figured I should let them have some privacy.”

“And he let you go just like that?”

“He offered to drive me back, but it’s fine. It’s not a big deal, I know the way back just fine. Besides, I didn’t want to trouble him.”

“Still,” Seokmin apparently did not approve. 

Riding with the young deputy now, Junhui thought he could find a way to make it up to Soonyoung by asking him a few questions his best friend wouldn’t be able to get around. Wonwoo didn’t want his help, so Junhui might as well give it to someone who did.

“So has the uniform gotten you more dates than before?”

He chuckled, flushing a little. “Yeah, I guess you can say that.”

“Cool,” he praised. “Nice people, I hope?”

“Yeah, very nice people.”

Junhui laughed. “Even if they weren’t nice, you probably wouldn’t tell me, right? A true gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell.”

He agreed with a laugh. “We try to keep it going, yeah.”

“With this crazy schedule, is there a night where you’re actually free for a date?”

“Yeah,” he nodded, glancing at him briefly. “Tonight, actually.”

“Mm,” Junhui considered that. “So have you set your eyes on anyone special yet, or are you still free?”

They were down on flat ground now. As he drove the car to the stop sign and waited for traffic to clear, he looked over, his blush a shade darker. “Listen, Jun, I know we’re friends, and I know you mean well so please don’t be upset with me!” He took in a deep breath. “I don’t really need you to set me up with anyone because I already have someone in mind!” Seokmin said the whole sentence in one breath, which was quite amazing for him.

Staring at him, Junhui blinked. “Huh? You do? Who?!”

“Uh,” he laughed nervously, scratching his ear, eyes curved into half-moons. “Well…”

“Tell meeeee!” Junhui implored, grabbing his shoulders. If it turned out to be someone other than Soonyoung, he would probably burst into tears at the cruelty of life.At the dramatics, Seokmin laughed some more, cheeks rosy. “Okay, okay. But you gotta promise to keep it a secret. It’s still only one-sided.”

Junhui frowned. Who could this be? “Okay, I promise.”

“Um, Soonyoung?”

“Soonyoung?!” Junhui screamed, causing Seokmin to jolt and shriek at the sudden rise in volume. In his excitement, his elbow hit the horn, and both of them screamed in fright.

Luckily, no one was around to witness the embarrassing scene. They burst into laughter at themselves.

Afterward, Junhui probed. “Wait, you like Soonyoung?!”

“Y-yes?”

“Then why did you say it’s one-sided?” If it turned out that Soonyoung really did tell Seokmin he wanted to remain friends, Junhui would beat him with his tiger plushie.

“What do you mean?” Seokmin asked, completely oblivious.

Junhui just stared at him, unimpressed.

“Oh!” Blinking rapidly, he considered, “Does he really feel the same way about me?” He gaped. “I never knew!”

Talk about clueless. And Soonyoung had the nerve to criticize Mingyu. He and Seokmin were no better. With a silent snort, Junhui thought all of his friends were hopeless in the game of love.

“Hoshi’s been doing everything short of drawing a giant heart on a poster with your name written in.” Junhui decided to leave out the stalking part. Soonyoung could come clean himself about that later.

Seokmin flushed again, but much happier now. “I’ve always liked him… a lot, but I was never sure if he felt it, or if it was just the friendship.”

“Well,” Junhui suggested, grinning and elbowing him meaningfully. “You have the night off, right? Ask him out, and make sure it comes across as a _date date_ and not just you guys hanging out.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, driving through the town’s traffic.

“I am positive.”

“Alright,” he grinned. “I’ll call him.” Looking at him, he said, “Thanks, Jun.”

With a bright smile, he nodded. “You’re welcome!”

Hopefully, Junhui thought after Seokmin dropped him off, at least he was able to give the Soonyoung and Seokmin soap opera plot line a push in the right direction. He just wished he had the same luck when it came to that department. Actually, he just wished he could control his own heart and emotions, or even just get a clue as to what was going on.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waaaaaaaahhhhhhhh so many things happened!!!
> 
> can you believe wonhui actually discussed their feelings before either one of them actually nearly died? 😱 i am amazed. too bad their conclusion turned out kinda... yeahhhhh... they still need some more. (before anyone asks if wonhui's feelings are actually influenced by the crystals: pls wait and see. we will get a concrete answer next chapter--if i'm not mistaken). 
> 
> poor wonu 😔 can't ever get a break. and now he's gonna think the death of those two people are his fault too *sigh*
> 
> oh, and to clear up something that might not have come across: one of the reasons why wonu doesn't want to destroy jun's crystal (aside from it being wrong and risking harming jun) is that wonu thinks jun's crystals is what makes his heart go doki-doki and gives him that warm and fuzzy feeling inside. even though he doesn't want to, he enjoys the feels very much, so if he were to destroy the crystal, then he thinks he won't ever get those sensations again. 
> 
> one more thing: wonu snapped at junnie bc junnie has no sense of self-preservation. he keeps wanting to help without even knowing the risks, and it's driving wonu insane. he wants jun to refuse so that he won't have the opportunity to get jun's crystal. can you see why he's so frustrated? once again, poor wonu 😔
> 
> if you guys have more questions, don't hesitate to ask! as always, thank you very much! see you next week!  
> xoxoxo


	22. Bound

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonwoo takes Junhui to see Nyosha, and Wonwoo receives a two huge pieces of information.

 

His phone stopped ringing as Junhui stepped back into his room. Drying his hair with a towel, he crawled over the bed to grab the phone on the bedside table. Upon reading the name on the notifications, he knitted his brows. Jeonghan had called three times in the time it took him to shower. The older left a few voice mails, which Junhui quickly listened to.

“Hey Junnie,” the first message began. It sounded like Jeonghan was somewhere with a large crowd. “I kind of have a favor to ask of you, can you call me back? Thanks.”

Next message.

“Hey, me again.” A child cried in the background and someone hushed him. “Sorry for bugging you, but give me a call, please—” the message cut off with him shouting, “Don’t put that in your mouth!”

“Junnie, where are you?” his voice sounded on the verge of a frustrated scream. “God, I’m going to kill Coups,” he mumbled as the message ended.

What in the world was going on? Junhui wondered as he pressed the older’s name to find out. Jeonghan picked up on the second ring.

“Hannie! Sorry, I was in the shower. Is everything okay?”

“Hi! It’s fine now. I didn’t mean to worry you.” On the other line, Jeonghan moved, putting space between him and the indistinct chatter around him. “I just have a favor to ask of you. Are you doing anything today?”

Since his fight with Wonwoo and and the injuries the latter had received, Junhui hadn’t gone back to work at the house. It being a Friday,Junhui had hoped that he could just sit at home and do nothing for a change.

“No, not really,” he replied into the phone now.

The other sighed in relief. “I would really appreciate it if you could take over part of my shift until about one or two,” Jeonghan said. “I’ll pay you,” he added, as if Junhui wouldn’t do it unless he was compensated.

“I don’t mind, but what’s going on? And where are you?”

Jeonghan groaned, and Junhui could visualize him shaking his head, putting a hand on his forehead. “Violet woke up with a fever and slight cough this early morning. Coups was supposed to take her to the doctor’s, but of course, when it rains it pours. The car ran out of gas partway there, and Shua is away on a seminar, so I had to go buy gas then meet him on the side of the road. Since I was there, I decided to take Violet myself.”

Junhui checked the time. It was nine twenty. “Did the doctor not see Violet yet?”

“No, we’re still in the waiting room. Because we’re walk-in patients, she can only see us if there’s an opening between appointments.”

“I see,” Junhui said. “Well, it’s really no problem, and you don’t need to pay me, either. Just let your mom know beforehand if you haven’t done so yet.” As he talked to the older, he went to the closet to find some clothes.

“Thank you so much!” Jeonghan exclaimed. “I’ll call her as soon as we’re done.”

“Okay, then. I hope Violet gets well soon.”

“Thanks, Junnie. Bye!”

“Bye, Hannie!” There went his lazy day, Junhui thought, as he pulled out a tee and pair of jeans. Oh, well. At least he’ll be putting his energy into good use for his friend.

 

When Junhui got to _Angel Wings’_ , he heard the tail end of Mrs. Yoon discussing the last week’s events concerning the accidents at the talent show. Somehow, knowing the truth about what really happened, he found himself not meeting her gaze, as if she could have read everything from his mind. As usual, she didn’t pay particular attention to him, fortunately. The only regretful detail was that he would be back here tomorrow, hearing the same petty comments and mean remarks.

As he and Soonyoung had expected, the current theory behind the accidents was the Jeon Curse, ruining everything good and wonderful in their town. No one seemed to note the fact that the only Jeon alive hadn’t actually been in town at the time. Or maybe they just decided to ignore that detail for the sake of gossip and small-town superstition. Although Junhui didn’t want to listen and rot his mind, he did catch the customers saying that the contestants were all on the road of recovery. For once, they had good news to report.

Since Jeonghan called in the favor, Junhui actually remembered to bring his earphones with him. For the next hours, he took over Jeonghan’s duties without having to endure the Gossip Brigade’s daily report. As long as he did his work and kept out of their way, he was left alone. Which was why, when someone snuck up on him, he didn’t hear their footsteps and nearly jumped out of his skin.

“Oh, geez!” he breathed, putting a hand over his chest, taking out his ear buds.

Not holding back his laughter, Soonyoung still tried to apologize. “Sorry, sorry! Gosh, you really do look like a frightened kitty when you’re startled.” He wiped his tears. Grumbling, Junhui crouched down to pick up the box of cookies he dropped. “I’m sure you’ll find my heart attack hilarious, too.”

“I’m sorry,” he took in a breath to calm down. “What are you doing here anyway?”

Junhui replaced the box on the shelf. “Filling in for Jeonghan while he takes Violet to the doctor’s.”

“Is she okay?”

“Yeah, it’s just a cold, I think.”

There was a short pause while the boys stood there a little unsure of what to do next. It was always awkward to run into the person you were fighting with a while ago. You never knew if the battle was still in progress, or if you could move on. If the fights were small, then the pause usually hardly even existed. If it were big, that was when things got tricky. One of you would have to swallow that bite of humble pie and take the first step in bridging the gap.

Junhui was considering doing it when Soonyoung started the conversation again.

“Look, I wanted to say thank you for Seokmin.”

Staring at him, Junhui didn’t know what to say. He didn’t expect Seokmin to go and tell Soonyoung that he pushed him to it. Where was the romance and magic in that? “What did he tell you?”

Soonyoung chuckled. “He didn’t say anything at first, but by the end of the date, he told me that we were lucky to have you in the middle. Otherwise, he would’ve waited a lot longer before asking me out.”

“That’s… very sweet, thank you,” Junhui smiled. “I assume the first date went well, then?”

“Yeah.” Soonyoung blushed, grinning until his eyes disappeared into tiny slits. “It was very nice.”

“I’m glad it’s working out for you. Sometimes it _is_ a good idea to simply come out and say ‘hey, I really like you, sir!’”

He agreed with a laugh. Sobering up a little, he shoved his hands in his pockets andsaid, “And um, sorry about freaking out the other night. I guess I was just a little...”

“Mad?”

“A little. Mostly worried. Just because you never hid any secret from me, and I never hid anything from you.” Shrugging, he picked at the cake mix box on the shelf in front of him. “I didn’t like how things changed all of a sudden.”

“Hoshi,” he called gently, taking his hand. “If it had concerned you or anyone else, I would’ve, but—”

“But it’s about Wonwoo,” he finished, nodding his understanding. “I get it. He’s off-limits.”

“It’s not that, it’s…” Junhui sighed, chewing on his lip as he tried to find the correct words. “It’s sort of complicated.”

Now that his interest was piqued, Soonyoung eyed his friend with suspicion. “Complicated concerning the nature of the secret, or complicated in terms of why you’re protecting him?”

“Me protecting him?” Junhui echoed with a small laugh. “If he needs protection, I’m not even a viable option. Have you seen us?”

“I’m not talking about physical protection, duh!” He rolled his eyes. “Obviously, he could pick you up and throw you without any problem. I meant, the reason why you’re keeping his secret.”

“Yes?” Junhui squeaked, looking sheepishly at him.

Laughing, Soonyoung punched him playfully with his free hand. “Alright, no more probing. For now.” They laughed, the weight of the discord finally lifted. “So you’re ditching him to cover for Jeonghan?”

“Not really,” he hesitated. “We kind of had a little...”

“Lovers quarrel?” Soonyoung wiggled his brows, and Junhui rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, sure. Anyway, I thought I’d give him space and time to cool off before seeing where it left things.”

Laughing, Soonyoung joked, “Why? Did he get so mad he destroyed the house or something?”

Junhui was about to respond when something felt off.

The white noise composed of low chatter from the customers and Mrs. Yoon’ chirpy voice suddenly disappeared. Since the boys were currently in the back aisles, Junhui couldn’t really see what had caused the unexpected silence as people apparently found the front of the store very interesting to stare at.

“What’s going on?’ Soonyoung asked, glancing at him before straining his neck to see. The boys stepped out of the snacks aisle.

Before Junhui could even open his mouth to say anything, he felt that weird tug in his chest. A couple seconds later, Wonwoo was marching across the store, completely ignoring the stares and utter displeasure of the Gossip Brigade standing at the front register. He didn’t look particularly angry or happy, just focused straight ahead… at Junhui.

Soonyoung moved his gaze from Wonwoo to his friend, a little startled. “Speaking of the devil... Well, guess I’ll see you later.”

“Wait, Hoshi!” he called out, wishing he could leave with him.

The awkward pause after the ‘quarrel’ with Wonwoo would be ten times worse than with Soonyoung. Junhui had to stop getting into squabbles with people.

Smoothly sliding away, Soonyoung turned around and motioned a “good luck!” at his friend, then puckered his lips into a kissy face. ‘Kiss and make up, okay?’

Heat crawled over Junhui’s cheeks as he watched his snickering friend escape. Before he could do anything, though, Wonwoo’s solid figure blocked his line of sight.

“What time do you get off your shift?” he asked, not even bothering to say hi.

Junhui quickly shook himself out of the daze.Looking at the clock on the wall, he stammered, “Uh, pretty soon, I guess.”

“You guess?” he cocked a brow.

Right then, they heard footsteps behind Wonwoo, and they both turned to them.

“May I help you?” Mrs. Yoon asked, her hands on her hips. Junhui had known that she was a small woman before, but seeing her next to Wonwoo made her seem even tinier.

“No, ma’am. I don’t need your assistance.” Wonwoo turned around, clearly not about to give her more of his attention, but she didn’t leave it alone.

“Unless you are here to buy something quickly, I’m afraid I will have to ask you to leave. You are disturbing my customers and wasting valuable time from my employee.”

This was just a disaster waiting to happen. She hardly reached his shoulder in height, with her short black bob and reading glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. She thought she could intimidate Wonwoo like she did Junhui. With her gossip crew watching, she felt an extra boost of confidence, showing off to those awful ladies who was boss in this place. However, she had no idea who she was dealing with.

Junhui wanted to go hide.

“Your employee’s time,” Wonwoo repeated calmly, “Do you pay him?”

Her eyes shifted to the boy momentarily, then back to him. “No, I don’t, but he works for me.”

“Oh,” he acknowledged with a nod, “but doesn’t he come here on his own accord?”

“Yes,” she had to answer, unable to lie with all the rest of the store watching.

“Then why is it any of your concern what he does with his time?” Wonwoo wondered. “Technically, he can walk out of this store anytime he wants, and there’s nothing you could do about it. Instead, he treats this as a serious job, having to tolerate yours and your friends’ insults on a regular basis. How do you sleep at night, when you spend your time bullying people who are either too afraid, or not even present to defend themselves?” Glancing at the front, he snorted when the rest of the Gossip Brigade hurriedly turned away as if they weren’t listening in. “Are your lives so pathetic that you need to seek your thrills via other people’s misery and misfortune?”

Beet red with humiliation and anger, Mrs. Yoon huffed. “Why you—”

“Did I hit a nerve?” Eyes flashing, Wonwoo smirked.

Unable to repress her fury and shame, she spun on her heels and retreated to her desk.

Afraid that he might say more, Junhui quickly reached out and tugged on shirt. “Wonwoo.”

He turned around in response, and Junhui slowly let go. “Thank you for speaking up for me,” he said. “But you really didn’t need to. I’m okay, you know.” He smiled. “Plus, it’s gonna make coming back here tomorrow rather awkward.”

Wonwoo was silent for a moment, then retorted evenly, “Then don’t. You didn’t come back to the house yesterday or today.”

His cheeks burned.

Risking a peek, Junhui noted that the cuts and bruises on Wonwoo’s face had completely disappeared. “How’s your side?” he gestured toward the older’s shirt. If he wasn’t mistaken, the bandages could faintly be seen under the fabric.

“It hurts,” Wonwoo stated, causing the younger to shrink. Sighing, he placed a hand on the shelf, unconsciously creating a barrier between Junhui and the rest of the store. “Look, I’m sorry for yelling at you.”

Junhui stared at him, wide eyed. Well, apparently today was the day for apologies and make-ups.

“The anger and frustration weren’t directed at you.”

“I know,” Junhui replied. “The reason I didn’t come back yesterday wasn’t because I was avoiding you or waiting for your apology. I thought that you might want some time to cool off. I was gonna come back on Monday to see if you’d still need me. How did you even know I was here today?”

“When the craving hits, it’s really not that hard.”

Junhui furrowed his brows. “Craving? You mean that fluttering?” Wonwoo nodded. “Yeah, I felt it before you came in, too,” he admitted, looking up at him through his lashes.

Hearing that, the corners of Wonwoo’s mouth tugged upward just a little bit. “Anyway, I found something that might interest you, but I just gotta ask you a question first.”

“What is it?”

His voice lowered, and Wonwoo leaned closer to him so others couldn’t overhear the rest of their conversation. “Were you serious when you said that you wish you could remove your piece of Crystal? That you felt it caused more trouble than benefits?”

Confused, Junhui nodded. “Yeah, I guess. Why?”

“Because it might be able to save your brother.”

Junhui blinked, eyes wide. “How would that be possible?”

“Remember when I told you that there’s a witch in the woods?” Junhui nodded. “I went to see her, and she said that since the Crystal is essentially pure goodness, it might be able to undo that spell.”

“And she can just... take it out of my body?”

“It’s not that simple,” he explained, shaking his head. “You have to be willing to remove it, otherwise no one would be able to extract it. It shouldn’t hurt,” he added.

This was a big decision to consider. It was almost like having someone coming in to tell you that if you were ready, they will have one of your organs removed to help your brother. The only caveat was, a doctor wasn’t going to do it at the hospital, where everything was relatively safe. No, this was trusting a witch to remove something that’s been coursing through your blood vessels without a predetermined place. Was she just going to cut him open and poke around? Drain all his blood and solidify the Crystal that way?

“Without the Crystal in you anymore,” Wonwoo continued in a soft voice, “it might help us, too.”

“What?” the word came out before he could think. But then the gears in his wind began to spin. His Crystal was causing Wonwoo issues. If he didn’t possess it, Wonwoo would get his mind back to normal and be able to locate the Healing Stone and save those innocent lives. Junhui could get rid of almost all his issues. As for himself, well, Junhui guessed that he wouldn’t be getting these strange flustering and tugs in his chest anymore whenever Wonwoo was around. That last part didn’t seem like a plus to him, to be honest, but he refrained from commenting. The outcome and benefits outweighed his confusing emotions.

Patiently, Wonwoo let Junhui think everything through, not saying anything or rushing him in any way whatsoever.

After a few heartbeats, Junhui met his gaze and took in a deep breath. “Okay.”

Wonwoo waited for him in his car until the end of the shift, when Jeonghan brought in a sleeping Violet in his arms. After thanking him, Jeonghan made him accept the money, then shooed him out to have a good time with the rest of the Friday.

Wonwoo drove him out of town toward the mountains. They passed by the summer festival, which had quite a crowd as a result of the weekend. At first, Junhui couldn’t tell what was different, but then he glanced at the speedometer, and realized that Wonwoo was driving much slower. For him, anyway. Usually, he’d be pushing over ninety on flat ground, now he barely went over seventy-five. Junhui wondered why, but didn’t ask. Wonwoo seemed to be lost in thoughts, so the younger turned to the window and watched the scenery pass them by.

After some more turns and a long stretch of road, he stopped the car. Looking around, Junhui noticed that they were the only car on this two-lane drive. On either side of them, tall trees shot up into the sky. Junhui had never been here before, and now the fear was creeping up his neck. When he didn’t get out of the car, Wonwoo moved to the passenger side and opened the door. Blinking up at him, Junhui took in a deep breath and climbed out.

Awkwardly standing there, Junhui tried to peer into the forest to see if he could make out anything. Unfortunately, all he could see were trees and moss and rocks. Some sun rays pierced through the thick foliage and created streams of light, which made it less scary. Wonwoo shut the door, and proceeded to lead him onward.

“It’s not very far,” Wonwoo informed him. “But you better stay close.”

Obviously, Junhui was not going to let him out of his sight. He was the only one who could get him back home. Still, Junhui moved closer to him, ignoring how that fluttering feeling got stronger and somewhat appeased him. Dead leaves crunched under their feet, and bird calls echoed in the air. If it weren’t for the context of this walk, it would have almost been a nice stroll.

Roughly ten minutes later, Junhui contemplated asking him his definition of ‘not very far’ when something scampered from the bushes from their left to their right. Wonwoo stopped, putting his arm out as if to prevent the younger from continuing further.

“What was that?” Junhui whispered.

“We’re getting close,” he said as he continued forward, although now more cautiously. “Probably an imp on an errand run for the witch.”

Junhui swallowed, glancing around them. Although he always had a feeling that these woods housed those sort of creatures, he was fortunate enough to never having seen one.

“Are they dangerous?” he asked, still looking around worriedly.

“No, just troublesome little creatures.” Seeing him still a little freaked out, Wonwoo took his hand in his and led him the rest of the way like that. Junhui felt like a child, but he did have to admit that it calmed him down tremendously.

Further into the woods a little while later, the similar scurrying startled him, this time cutting in front of their path so fast that a little breeze was summoned. Their heads spun around after the motion, which had landed on a tree branch behind them. Junhui’s mouth hung open as he saw the creature.

He sat on a thick branch, his short legs dangling in the air. He couldn’t have been taller than three apples stacked on top of each other, with a reddish complexion. His pointy ears poked out of his brown hat. With black and sharp eyes, his face was the illustration of mischief and trickery. Those eyes were now focused on Junhui, all the more because Wonwoo had pulled him behind his back.

“Master Jeon!” the imp cheered, not taking his eyes from Junhui’s face. His voice sounded aged, despite his appearance. “It is good to see you again, even better that you have brought a guest.” He grinned, making Junhui retreat behind Wonwoo’s back some more. The latter squeezed his hand in effort to tell him to calm down. Junhui couldn’t really help his heartbeat from racing, though.

“Go tell your mistress that we’re here,” Wonwoo told the imp.

“But of course,” he bowed, that mischief still twinkling in his eyes. Then just as he had appeared, he flew away in the direction they had been heading in.

“What does the witch use those creatures for?” Junhui asked as they walked.

He shrugged. “Errand boys, assistants. Like most imps, he either owes her something, or she’s in possession of whatever object he’s imprisoned in.”

“Sort of like, a genie and his lamp?”

“Something like that, yeah. Only with a genie, you get a finite amount of wishes and magic. Once you use it all, keeping him and the lamp is sort of useless. Whereas the imp remains a prisoner to whoever as long as that object is in the hands of the master.”

“That’s... sad,” Junhui commented.

“They’re not the nicest creatures, Junhui. They play tricks on people—including their masters. While most of them are harmless, some can be dangerous. They enjoy making people look like fools and getting deceived and hurt.”

“Oh. Well, he sort of freaked me out,” Junhui admitted.

He cracked a lopsided grin. “Good. Stay away from them.”

Eventually, they reached the edge of the woods and came upon a sort of clearing. A little shack stood in the middle, looking like the wood had sagged under its own weight. The house was all crooked. The chimney puffed out purple smoke, while the yard had a giant cauldron with some brew inside that bubbled; blue vapor lingered over that. Behind the house, Junhui could see clotheslines with a few articles flapping in the breeze. Two other magical creatures were harvesting some vegetables by the patch of dirt, and they looked up at the arriving guests when he and Wonwoo approached. Unlike the imp in the forest, they didn’t give them the time of day. The front lawn was cluttered with jugs and baskets, firewood, and just a lot of junk. Maybe Junhui’s system had gone into overdrive, because he just stared at everything without really reacting.

“Stay out here a few minutes,” Wonwoo said now. “I’ll go check on her and come get you when it’s ready.”

Junhui nodded, a little dazed.

“Hey,” Wonwoo squeezed his hand and shook it a little so Junhui would focus on him. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Dumbfounded, Junhui stared back at him. He was terrified of going through with it, but if getting rid of his piece of Crystal could be used to break Minghao’s curse and help Wonwoo, it had to be worth it. Right? He just needed to think of it as giving him his kidney. Taking in shallow breaths, Junhui nodded.

The words came out as a whisper. “I trust you.”

His breath caught, and his eyes softened for a second, before Wonwoo composed himself again. “Alright. I’ll be back.” Leaving him under the shade of a huge tree, he released his hand and went inside the hut.

With a sigh, Junhui leaned against the trunk and sank to the ground. He closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind. He had the same anxious buzzing under his skin as when he went to the dentist’s office when he was a kid, only his teeth weren’t going to be checked today; he was getting something unknown done to him. _Breathe, Jun._

“Good afternoon, my boy!”

His eyes snapped open, seeing the imp from earlier. Junhui jerked backward, hitting the back of his head on the trunk. “Ow,” he groaned, feeling the tender spot.

“I’m terribly sorry,” the imp said, trying to come closer, but Junhui moved away, and he stayed put. Extending out his tiny hand, he introduced himself, “Gus.”

Warily, the boy held out his to shake it. “Junhui.”

“You seem like a good and beautiful child,” he assessed. “What are you doing with that demon?” Gesturing toward the house, he made a displeased face.

“Wonwoo’s helping—I’m helping him...” Shaking his head, Junhui tried to clear the fog. “We’re friends.”

“Friends,” Gus repeated slowly. “Are you here because of the Crystal?”

Furrowing his brows, Junhui stared back at him. “How do you know that?”

“Ah!” he laughed merrily. “When you have eyes and experience like me, you know a lot of things.” With a hop, he ended up on the lowest branch of the tree, looking down at the boy. “Tell you what, in exchange of a few strands of your hair, I can show you the reason you got sick ten years ago.”

Recalling Wonwoo’s warning, Junhui didn’t trust him. “What are you going to do with my hair?”

“I don’t know yet, but I’m sure it’ll come in handy one day!”

“Then how do I know you’re telling the truth about anything?”

Gus threw his head back and laughed, his short legs kicking the air as if this was the funniest joke. “My, such a suspicious mind! But a very smart question, indeed!” Jumping from his perch, he landed a few feet away from him. “We may be tricky creatures, but we do not lack integrity. You have my word!”

Eyeing him cautiously, Junhui thought about it. The mystery of what really happened that day in the woods still lingered in the back of his mind till this day. Every time he hiked in the woods, he kept his eyes open for anything that could have caused that horrible accident.

“Fine. If you can prove to me that you know what it is that made me sick, you can have a strand of my hair.”

Laughing excitedly, he motioned for Junhui to follow him. The boy tried not to trip over the various object laying about until the two reached a shrub. At first glance, it looked like heavenly bamboo. However, instead of common green and red leaves, this shrub had blueish-teal colored leaves, and white flowers.

“This is what made me sick?” he asked, a little skeptical.

“Don’t let its looks deceive you, boy,” Gus warned. “When touched, these little flowers release an intoxicatingly wonderful scent. That scent, when inhaled, causes damage from the inside of its victims.”

“Why would it do that?”

“It’s a defense mechanism,” he said. “When properly handled, however, it can do wonders in spells and potions!”

Junhui wasn’t exactly convinced, but he wasn’t going stand here and let the creature test it out. Glancing at the boy, Gus saw the skepticism.

“Let me show you.” Pulling something from his pocket, he held it carefully with both hands. Junhui realized that it was a hummingbird. “With the Crystal in you, you run no risk,” he told him, marching closer to the plant with the bird.

“Wait! Stop!” Junhui screamed, halting his movement. “You can’t kill that little bird.”

With a wicked grin, he said, “I gave you my word, didn’t I? I said I will prove it to you, and now you shall see.” Swallowing, Junhui wanted to grab the bird from his hands, but Gus was too fast. Junhui hated himself for letting the imp talk him into it.

He threw the bird into the shrub. The poor animal flapped its wings, trying to escape. But sooner than Junhui could realize, the flowers released their little puffs, carrying to his nose the scent. There was no question, this was it. Now he remembered, and a muscle memory made him clench his hands over his stomach even though he didn’t really feel anything. Unlike the bird who had slowed down, then dropped to the ground like a rock. It was still alive, but it could no longer do anything to escape.

Feeling sick, Junhui ran his hand through his hair and plucked a couple strands to throw in Gus’ general direction. He couldn’t stand to look at the body of the bird. Turning around, Junhui went back to the tree, pulling his legs to his chest.

Gus skipped happily toward him, and Junhui looked away. “Don’t be upset, child.”

Junhui didn’t respond.

“I know what can make you feel better!” he called excitedly. He hopped onto the tree branch again, picking two fruits and throwing one down at him.

Catching it, Junhui stared at the apple. He expected something less... common. It was rather small, with an orange and pink coat, sprinkled with yellow and green spots. It smelled delicious, the way fruits smelled when picked right off the tree. Still sitting up there, Gus bit into the apple and chewed loudly.

“Mmm! This one’s ripe. So sweet and juicy. Come on, take a bite. It’ll make you feel better and fill-up the time waiting for Master Jeon to come fetch you.”

Junhui pulled it close, inhaling the sweet, yet crisp apple scent. He brought it to his lips.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

Wonwoo pushed open the creaky door and stepped inside Nyosha’s shack. The woman was bent over the cauldron sitting on the fire, stirring the liquid slowly with a wooden spoon. When she turned to see him, Wonwoo expected grief to show in her dark eyes. Instead, she merely straightened up and walked to the small table where some herbs were being chopped.

“So you came,” she stated. Her voice was calm, but he could tell she didn’t approve of his decision. “The brew is almost ready. Only a few more ingredients to add.” Picking up the knife, she began to chop finely the variety of leaves and roots.

“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” he said, taking a seat opposite of her. “I didn’t know they would find you.”

Shaking her head, she transferred the herbs into a wooden bowl and resumed the work with another handful. “I’m tougher than I look.”

He nodded, watching her work. Maybe it was guilt for being the cause of her torture session with Sanghun, or maybe it was Junhui’s tug and the guilt that resulted from lying to him, but Wonwoo felt awful sitting here. He wasn’t proud of what he was doing, but did he really have a choice? This was the best solution to all of their problems. Without the Crystal, the Clan will leave Junhui alone from now on, and so would Wonwoo. Still, having to lie to Junhui about something so important, exploiting his love for his brother, and to a certain degree, Junhui’s affection for him and desire to help. His trust.

“He’ll come out all right after this, won’t she?” Wonwoo asked.

Nyosha glanced up, then continued her chopping. “Shouldn’t you have asked that question before you accepted to bring him here?”

Wonwoo fisted his hands, then released them. He knew she was trying to talk him out of it, to make him see how heartless this was. Only thing, he already knew he was a monster. “I have no other choice. If I didn’t do it, they would have gotten involved and...” he sighed, rubbing his hands over his face. “Just tell me he’ll be all right.”

“I can’t guarantee it,” the witch answered. “The Crystal has been part of him for so long that there is no telling how considerable the changes might be for him.”

“But he’ll live,” Wonwoo wanted to make sure.

Sighing, she nodded, “Yes. For a while.”

Knitting his brows together, he frowned. “What do you mean?”

“From the information I’ve gathered, I believe that he got sick because he breathed in the pollen of a queen’s breath shrub. If that’s the case, the poison carried by the pollen might still remain in his body, but the Crystal might also have dissolved it. I really can’t say.”

“Have you prepared something to give him if that’s the case?”

She nodded. “Yes, but it’s not finished. In order for the antidote to be effective, the last ingredients must be added right before the victim drinks it.”

That made Wonwoo a feel a little better. She finished with the leaves and roots, pouring them into the cauldron and mixing the brew thoroughly. While they waited for it to cook, she went off to wash her hands. Wonwoo took the opportunity to ask her some questions.

“When Taeseung and Mikyung came to you,” he began, “did you ask of them anything as contribution to add into the spell?”

“Very much,” Nyosha concurred. “Their virtue, kindness, love, and devotion for each other and their child.”

“Could their love and devotion have carried over into the original Crystal?” he wondered.

“Their love and devotion are mainly the ingredients used to form the gem.”

He thought for a second. “Then could those emotions eventually influence the hosts?”

“You and Junhui?” she clarified.

He nodded, bracing himself for her response.

Watching him, she answered, “No, not in that regard. The Crystal’s only power comes from the purity and goodness of what Taeseung and Mikyung felt for their child. That’s what protects the hosts from the evil and wickedness of the outside world, no matter if the threat is Alcaeusian or not. It influences the host in that it leads him on a righteous path, blessing him with a conscience, and ability to control the animalistic instincts. The couple’s love made it possible for the Crystal to exist, but it cannot direct what the host feels.

“Love is powerful, but it cannot be induced by the gem, or in this case, its pieces. Not even the most advanced magic can bottle love. If anyone claims they do, it’s neither real nor true. You’ve seen, however, that despite its power, if the host intentionally deviates from the path, the Crystal alone cannot save him. Its purpose is not to control the host, but to guide him on to become an honorable man, to be worthy of what Taeseung and Mikyung gave up.”

Hearing that, Wonwoo was lost for words. If what she said was true, then what he and Junhui felt was genuine? That craving and yearning to be close to him was his own doing? What about Junhui? Did he really feel that way on his own?

“It’s ready,” Nyosha announced. “If you haven’t changed your mind, bring Junhui in.”

For a short moment, Wonwoo didn’t move. Too much was spinning inside his head, and yet everything was very clear. If these feelings for him were real, then Wonwoo had to remove the Crystal from him, keeping Junhui safe from Keegan and the rest from torturing him. It was for the best, right?

Wonwoo opened the door, scanning the yard until he found him. To his utter horror, Junhui was bringing an apple to his lips. An apple whose sole purpose is to slowly kill its victims in their sleep. “Don’t eat that!”

Startled, Junhui looked up seeing him. Wonwoo got to him too fast to be considered normal, but this was an emergency. Junhui hardly had time to blink before Wonwoo yanked the apple from his hand and brought him to his feet. Overhead, the pest jumped from the branch, his gleeful snickers leaving a trail behind him. Still holding the apple in his hand, Wonwoo took aim and threw it at him. The apple hit him over the head, then the imp vanished into a puff of smoke, his laughter still lingering in the air.

Furious, Wonwoo turned to Junhui, shouting, “What did I tell you about his kind?” Thinking that the boy might’ve had more sense than that, he added, “Haven’t you learned anything from fairy tales? Never eat apples offered to you.”

“But he ate it,” Junhui said as if that was an indication that it was safe.

Wonwoo let out an exasperated sigh, closing his eyes for a second to calm down. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he said, “He’s a magical creature. They aren’t affected by this sort of magic. Do you realize how close you were to ending up like Snow White?”

Baffled, Junhui opened his mouth to say something, then decided not to argue with him.

“Come on,” Wonwoo said, taking his hand again. “She’s ready for you.”

From the corner of his eye, he noticed how Junhui’s gaze shifted from corner to corner, trying to take in as much as possible of the inside of the shack. After Nyosha introduced herself in a grandmother-like manner, she held out her hand for Junhui.

Junhui glanced at him, his eyes scared but at the same time, Wonwoo saw the trust in them. He smiled a little, then nodded for him to go. The witch took Junhui to the other room, where Wonwoo could spot a small bed with quilts and pillows. The brew had been poured into a bowl set aside on the bedside table. Nyosha told Junhui to relax as she covered the boy with the quilt. Even out here, Wonwoo could sense the magic. In less than ten seconds, Junhui’s eyes began to droop, then his breathing became steady. He was asleep.

After Wonwoo asked how long the process would take and was told that he had a little under two hours, he left the shack. Now that Junhui had accepted to get his piece of Crystal removed, Wonwoo had to figure out a way to break his brother’s curse. He didn’t have to, but it seemed like the least he could do seeing how much Junhui was risking for him. Moreover, it might help ease the guilt and bitterness that arose from lying to him.

The best way to go about it was first to determine who from the Clan came to find Cho Hana. If Wonwoo identified him, then he might be able to go talk to him or her about a possible antidote. Without Junhui, the walk through the woods merely took a couple minutes running. He got in the car and drove back into town. Junhui had mentioned the general location of Hana’s apartment, so he headed there. Actually finding out where she lived couldn’t be too difficult, seeing how two naive boys were able to get past the gate and into her room.

Arriving at her front door, Wonwoo pressed his thumb against the peep hole, then rang the bell. He heard movement inside, so he knew she was home. When she cracked the door open and saw him, she tried to shut it again. He pushed forward, sticking his foot between the door and the frame.

“We need to talk,” he asserted. “Don’t make me break down your door.”

She was petrified, perhaps even more so than Junhui had ever been. He didn’t expect that from her. From the stories Junhui told him, Wonwoo thought that she would have put up a fight, or threatened to curse him. Or at the very least, screamed for the building’s security. Instead, she shook like a leaf. She still held on to the door, hiding behind it. Grabbing the edge, he pushed a little more. He was on a time limit here; he didn’t have the luxury to be patient.

“D-did Junhui send you?” she stammered. Now he understood why she was so scared. She thought Junhui told on her to him, and that Wonwoo was here to seek revenge in Junhui’s name. _Oh geez._ He barely refrained from rolling his eyes.

“No, I just want to ask you questions from three years ago.”

She sneaked a peek at him with her frightened eyes, then nodded. She stepped away and opened the door, inviting him in. He followed in after her and shut the door.

“What do you want to know?” she asked, sitting on the couch, pulling a pillow to her chest.

“Do you remember the name of the person who gave you the supplies?”

“No, he never said his name.” She thought for a moment, a crease forming between her eyebrows. “I just remember dark hair, about your size and height, um, early fifties.” Her description could fit more than half the Clan. Wonwoo crossed his arms, waiting for her to give him some useful information.

“Any distinguishable traits? Eye color, scars, birthmarks, tattoos…”

She thought some more, pulling the pillow close to her. Wonwoo had to give her credits. Despite being terrified right now, she seemed to be willing to help. Then again, she might simply be thinking that if she gave him what he wanted, he would leave her alone.

“Wait, I do have his name. Or rather, his initials,” she exclaimed, her head snapping up. “He wrote me the first list of ingredients and instructions,” she explained as she ran into her room. He heard things getting moved and shoved aside. Then hinges creaked, followed by a lock opening, finally the rustling of papers. She came back out, holding them out to him. “Here, he put down his initials.”

Grabbing the two sheets, Wonwoo quickly scanned the list, then moved on to the bottom of the last page. A cold chill spread through his limbs. “You’re sure this is the person you talked to. He’s the one who wrote this?”

“Yes,” she nodded. “I only ever saw him, and he wrote me this list right then and there.”

“Thanks.” Handing her the papers, Wonwoo stormed out of the building.

_Of all the things to keep secret from me._

Wonwoo slammed his fist against the wall, creating a dent in the metal plaque next to the elevator. The damn thing was too slow. He took the stairs, his tumultuous thoughts nearly making him dizzy.

Keegan and the rest of them, not even his own mother, could have told him that Jeon Joowon, his own father, had tried to get to Junhui three years ago. Now that the older Jeon was dead, not coincidentally for three years now, there was only one person who could tell him the truth and withhold nothing.

Seo Olivia offered him tea when he came to her house. They sat in her beautiful living room, his cup ignored on the table in between them. Sometimes he could almost forget that she was one of them. She just seemed so human.

“Did you know about Junhui?” he asked, trying to keep his voice level.

She nodded, sipping at her tea. “I did, I suppose I should’ve told you.”

“You knew from my father’s mission,” he suggested.

“Yes, we were good friends, and he mentioned that he had found the last piece of the Crystal.”

“Did he say what they were going to do with it? To Junhui?”

Glancing at him, she sighed. “You have come to care for Junhui, haven’t you?”

“That’s not...” he scoffed, “I don’t see how that has anything to do—”

“Because it’s not a pleasant story,” she interrupted. “While many—including you—were sent to search for the missing Healing Stones, your father was charged with the mission to locate the last piece of Crystal and destroy it. The Clan wanted yours to be the only one left, so they sent him, thinking that since he had inherited a similar piece, he would be able to do the job.”

“So he used Hana’s obsession on Minghao in order to enlist her help,” Wonwoo added to the tale.

“Exactly. Only he didn’t know that they are only step-siblings, so whatever mind control Hana had on Minghao, it couldn’t be transferred to Junhui. Your father had no other choice but to kill the boy, at the same destroying the Crystal.” She paused, and Wonwoo took in a breath to steady himself. He couldn’t destroy Olivia’s furniture.

“At the last minute, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.”

“Why?” he wondered. 

“Joowon never said, but I have a feeling that all that time studying Junhui’s behavior, his Crystal might have been affected by Junhui’s, just like yours. His conscience developed.”

Wonwoo took a moment to let it sink in. Just when he thought that he had found all the secrets about his family and past, something else pops up. But if Junhui had managed to change his father, what happened after that?

“So, how did he die?”

“What have they told you?” she wanted to know, sipping on her tea.

Shrugging, Wonwoo shook his head. Evidently, what they said couldn’t hold much truth now. “I was told that he was caught in a storm and fell off a cliff. His body was so mangled that, it was a closed casket ceremony.”

Knowingly, she nodded. “I’m sure I don’t have to convince you that that is not what really happened.” Olivia pushed her cup to the side, bring her hands under her chin. “By refusing to execute a direct order, Joowon was tortured until he took his own life.”

Wonwoo and his father hadn’t gotten along when the older man was alive, but never had Wonwoo felt anything for him as strongly as he did now. Wonwoo had the Crystal to thank for that, offering him emotions to experience. He took in a deep breath, trying to contain this grief.

“Now I get to finish the job,” he muttered bitterly under his breath.

Suddenly alarmed, she sat up. “Please, tell me you haven’t done anything to Junhui.”

“Why?” he asked warily.

“Junhui has the only remaining piece that works. If he dies, or if his Crystal is destroyed, yours will slowly dwindle until it ceases to exist. Your pieces has not only been thinned out after each generation, it’s been dormant for over two decades. Junhui’s piece is pure, the half of the original gem that Taeseung and Mikyung had asked for, which he’s been nurturing all this time. Looking at him with a grave and grim face, she said, “If something happens to Junhui, you will eventually fall back into the Elders’ hands, and they will kill you.”

Bewildered, Wonwoo couldn’t even find the words to express his confusion. “What?”

“They have been diluting the Jeon bloodline for four generations now, waiting until they found the descendant they could manipulate with the most ease. They thought they could count on Joowon, but he still had too much humanity in him.”

“That’s why they picked me,” he realized. “They thought the chances of my Crystal working would be virtually nonexistent. I would destroy Junhui, and in turn, they would kill me...” The words fell out, almost foreign to his ears. “Erasing forever the last traces of the traitors and the Crystal.”

“Wonwoo,” she made him focus. “Do you love him?”

“What?” Lost, he stared at her. “I don’t know, I just—”

Her lips formed a thin line. “If you do, they won't let him go. The last thing the Elders want is for the past to repeat itself.”

As if an electric current passed through him, Wonwoo jumped out of the chair, checking the time. He had to go back to the woods and find a way to stop the extraction before Keegan came to collect Junhui’s piece. Hopefully, Wonwoo still had time to save both of them. Whether they wanted it or not, he and Junhui were bound to each other now.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> RUN WONWOO RUN!!!!!!!! 
> 
> wow, so many things happened! hurray for soonhui making up! soonie remains our spokesperson i love him so much 😂
> 
> wonu telling off mrs. yoon yessssssssss (lowkey me @ haters bwhahaha)
> 
> the truth about the crystal having no weight on their feelings... WE KNEW IT FROM THE START, WONU
> 
> ok, so i know i'll get this question, so i'll answer it: "why did the elders even bother to thin out the jeon bloodline, only to kill off wonu at the end? couldn't they just have abandoned baby hwan from the start?"
> 
> -short answer: the elders are assholes
> 
> -real answer: the elders are very calculating. if they had let baby hwan die, then they would lose face with the clan. plus, it left the other half of the crystal as a loose end (that could come back and "corrupt" another member of the clan). by raising baby hwan and thinning out the bloodline, they would eventually get rid of every single trace of the crystal PLUS put an end to the jeon bloodline (just like olivia and wonu explained). does that make sense? 
> 
> if you have questions, pls don't hesitate to ask! :D
> 
> next week is gonna be ACTION!!!! so hope to see you then!
> 
> as always, thank you very much for reading!  
> xoxoxo


	23. Change of Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WonHui run away from the bad guys, and have an important conversation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SORRY FOR POSTING SO LATE YOU GUYS (つ﹏⊂) The chapter is almost 12K long, and i had to write most of it. waaaahhhh. BUT WHATEVER! It's gonna be a rollercoaster, so i hope you're ready.
> 
> (i'm already anticipating the screams at the end lol)
> 
> happy reading!
> 
> WARNING: mentions of blood, non-graphic violence, more blood.
> 
> -

 

 

Sleep took over him instantly. Junhui began to drift into a gray and foggy state of mind, where he could sense the world that went on around him, yet unable to actually see anything but darkness. It was like floating in space, without an anchor to hold him down. For a while, that was all. He knew he was sleeping, or at least supposed to, but his mind was very much awake.

After a few minutes of laying in wait, he sensed Nyosha’s cool touch on his wrist, checking for his pulse. When they met, she had appeared closer to a grandmother than a witch as far as he could see. She spoke with warmth, and her eyes reflected not an ounce of malice. Despite having been nervous, he had felt safe with her. Then again, Junhui thought, she had to be a white witch if Taeseung and Mikyung dared to come see her for help.

The current strange sense of perception made him aware of the smell of a potion nearby, the one that had been sitting on the bedside table when he’d entered the room. It held a faint herbal aroma, with hints of roses and lilac. Now a lukewarm liquid was poured over his lips, and he understood that he was made to drink the potion. It didn’t taste like anything, but perhaps he just couldn’t tell. The warm brew made its way down his throat and into his stomach. Then things started to change.

As it spread through his limbs and to his toes and fingertips, it left in its wake a fiery sensation that soon burned him from the inside. Junhui jerked, coiling into himself, trying to rub the caustic sensation away. The more he moved, the faster it spread through his bloodstream, as if Nyosha had poured molten lava down his throat. He must have screamed; he was not sure anymore. He wished that all his sensory nerves would soon be damaged severely enough that he no longer had to feel such an excruciating, searing pain. Unfortunately, it was only the beginning.

When the fire ceased to consume him, a nick at the bottom of his right foot caused him to instinctively jerk. Junhui could only imagine the sensation paired with someone cutting into the sole of his foot with a very sharp scalpel. Before he could even rationalize what the first slit had been about, more surfaced. Tiny, sharp, stinging cuts were slashed into his skin. They mounted from his feet up his legs, to his torso and arms. As if the fire hadn’t been enough, now he was being cut into with agonizing torment. Junhui sobbed, choking, the warm tears rolling down his face.

Soon, his body betrayed him. The sobs made it harder to breathe, and the oxygen became scarce. Every time a slash cut through his skin, it got a little deeper, and deeper. He had to be bleeding everywhere now, right? Despite how much it hurt, he still tried to curl up into himself, protecting what he had left, even though the efforts were futile. He wanted to lose consciousness. He wanted this torture to end.

Eerily familiar, this had been more or less the feelings and sensation that had gone through Junhui ten years ago. How sharp and clear they all came back to him was extraordinary, if not cruel. He’d been through this once, must he go through it once more? Each slash still bit and stung, but he had no more will to fight. He just let go, unclenching his muscles, giving up. He let the pain consume him, slowly making its way inside his flesh. He felt the cracks as bones were crushed under an invisible weight, then the agony continued anew. He wanted to move away from the pain, but how could one escape something deep inside oneself? His sobs were incessant, pleading for everything to stop, but no one heard him. His limbs trashed and flailed as it became too much to bear.

Aside from his cries, thundering echoes and shouts suddenly disturbed the silent room. Nyosha left his side, and Junhui wanted to beg her to stay with him, but he couldn’t. The sleeping spell was too heavy to lift off of himself.

“Is it done?” the voice asked.

“Yes,” the witch answered. “Do you want it now?”

Who was she talking to? Had she really taken the Crystal out of him? Why couldn’t she do anything to end the pain?

“No!” the voice shouted. “You have to put it back. You—” All at once, the person stopped, then came his hurried footsteps as he marched closer to where Junhui laid. “What’s happening to him?” he demanded.

“What I was afraid would happen,” Nyosha answered. “The poison remained in his body all these years. He’s dying.”

_I’m going to die?_

“No, no, no,” the voice refused.

In an instant, Junhui felt the person’s touch on his arm, and the boy yelped. Why was he trying to hold him? Couldn’t the person see he was already cut up everywhere, his entire body charred in and out?

“You have to save him,” the male said, distressed. “Put it back inside of him. Please!”Ignoring Junhui’s whines and cries, the person cradled the boy against him.

Junhui’s fingertips clutched at the person’s shirt and arms, digging into his muscles as a way to distract himself from the acute searing pain that the embrace elicited. He wanted to push the male away; he wanted to hold him tighter. There was something very familiar about this person, but his mind was fuzzy, and the agony too overwhelming. Junhui couldn’t think beyond it.

“Take him out the back and put him in the stream. The cold water should calm him down for a while. I’ll be out as soon as I can.”

The jolt as the male picked him up left him breathless. Pins and knives were pricking and slicing into his skin as he felt the wind blow around them. Junhui gripped his body tighter, still fighting the fog of the sleeping spell. Ice cold water instantly shook him out of it.

Freezing, Junhui snapped his eyes open, gasping but unable to draw air in. Now that he was awake, the throbbing pain felt jarringly more real, as if a screen had been lifted from his eyes.

Still trying to get his bearings, he saw Wonwoo holding him down, jaw locked and face pale. If Junhui were in a better state of mind, he would have wondered many things concerning Wonwoo’s current presence and his doing. Instead, Junhui flailed around, fighting his hold, fighting whatever was cutting him up from inside out.

Water splashed everywhere as he battled the cold and the invisible cuts. Wonwoo was talking, words that meant nothing to him. From his delirious point of view, Wonwoo was trying to drown him in the freezing depth of this stream, while he battled to catch his breath. Eventually, having had enough, Wonwoo jumped into the water with him, gripping the boy’s upper arms so Junhui would stop moving for a second, enough time for him to press the hysterical boy against his chest and keep him still.

“Just relax, kitten, it’s gonna be okay,” he whispered, still trying to anchor him back down to reality. “I know you’re scared, but just relax. I’m right here.”

Junhui stopped thrashing upon hearing Wonwoo’s voice right by his ear. By and by, he managed to find his breathing again. The cold water began to dull the perception of his sensory nerves. If he didn’t see Wonwoo gathering him up, he wouldn’t even be able to tell that the older still held him in his embrace. He simply laid limp, giving the responsibility over to Wonwoo.

“You have to hurry.” Junhui heard Nyosha’s voice behind him.

He wanted to turn around, to at least begin to understand what had been going on for who knew how long. But when he couldn’t navigate around, he guessed that Wonwoo still kept him against his chest, his hand pressed on his back to keep him from going anywhere.

She handed Wonwoo something, but again, Junhui couldn’t see what it was. “It won’t be long before he comes to check on you.”

“Thank you,” Wonwoo said, gratitude evident in his voice. He nudged at the boy’s temple with his cheek. “Hey, kitten. You have to trust me on this,” he told him now as Nyosha’s footsteps retreated quickly.

Junhui looked up at him, not quite fully aware yet, but Wonwoo looked frazzled, as if he was barely holding on to sanity. Junhui didn’t understand.

He rubbed his cheek as if trying to comfort him as he said, “This is going to hurt, but it’s for your own good. It’ll be over soon, I promise.”

Nodding slowly, Junhui tried to move his arms. Wonwoo helped him bring them around his neck, allowing the boy to cling to him, face buried in the crook of his shoulder. Fear snagged his heart again, as Junhui closed his eyes, readying himself as best as he could.

Whatever object the witch had given him, the older placed it against Junhui’s back, aiming for where his heart would be. “Ready?”

A whimpered nod.

“Okay.”

One hand still pinning him down, Wonwoo took in a deep breath, then began to nudge the object into Junhui. It was sharp and resistant at first, causing the boy inhale sharply. Wonwoo took advantage of that, and pressed it inside of him in one swift move.He shrieked, body going rigid at the suddenness, before going limp again.

It felt as if as if Wonwoo had driven a burning stake through his back and into his heart. The spot felt searingly hot, scalding his muscles. The sensation was amplified by the icy water around him. His fingers fisted as Junhui clenched his teeth to endure it. Gradually, that heat spread to his shoulders, then his entire bust, and down his legs and feet. It should’ve been worse, almost as excruciating as what happened in the shack earlier, but he supposed the water dampened the sensation somewhat.

Wonwoo’s hand rested on his back, rubbing soothing circles around the painful area. The pair were both breathing hard, exhausted. “Junnie? Are you okay?” Wonwoo asked tentatively.

“I’m...” He winced at the soreness of his throat, gingerly moving from fear of causing himself more pain. Only to realize that nothing hurt anymore. Confused, he blinked, mentally assessing himself. He was still completely drained of energy and out of breath, but he felt... fine.

“What… What did you do? What happened?” he asked, slowly releasing his death-grip around Wonwoo’s neck to acknowledge their current situation. If it weren’t for the fact that Junhui was so lost as to what just took place, he would have been blushing profoundly.

The two of them were sitting at the bottom of a stream behind Nyosha’s hut. Or rather, Wonwoo was. Junhui was perched on the older’s lap, his thighs bracketing his legs. Even with the cold water surrounding them, he could feel the heat of Wonwoo’s body under his, the firmness of his muscles as he shifted to accommodate the boy on his lap. Junhui suddenly didn’t know where to put his hands, or where to look. They had been sitting in the shallow river for who knew how long, which left not even a spec of dry skin or fabric on either one of them. So it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise that he got an eyeful of Wonwoo in a wet t-shirt mere inches away from him. Thin and wet cotton really did stick to every ridge and plane.

He shouldn’t stare. Shouldn’t let his gaze linger at the drops of water clinging to the tips of Wonwoo’s hair. Shouldn’t follow as one fell and rolled down his neck and over his collarbones.

Heat rushed through his system, tingling his skin.

He slapped his hands over his face to get rid of the blush and stop his thoughts from venturing to the dark and forbidden places.

“Junhui?”

Wonwoo’s hand moving to hold him at the waist caused him to sit up, back ramrod straight. The flow of the water had shifted his shirt, and his skin came into direct contact with the older’s palms. Now he _really_ couldn’t come out of hiding behind his hands.

“Does it hurt anywhere?” The concern in Wonwoo’s voice was evident, and Junhui felt the guilt weigh down on him like a rock.

“I’m—I’m fine,” he mumbled. “Just a little dizzy.” There had to be a way to distract himself from their current position, otherwise his heart might really explode.

Wonwoo sighed in relief. “I’m sorry,” he said, thumbs rubbing gently against the soft skin under his shirt. “It must have been a shock and painful, but it was the fastest and most direct way of returning the Crystal into your system.”

“What?” Confused, Junhui dropped his hands and stared wide-eyed at him. “Wh-why would you that?”

A rumble from the front of the hut interrupted him before he could answer the question. They both whipped their heads in the general direction.

“Shit.”

With a mortified expression on his face, Wonwoo carried him out of the water and set him down on the grass. Junhui stumbled a little, his feet not quite getting used to his weight yet.

“We have to get out of here. Can you run?” Wonwoo asked, assessing him briefly, then frowned. “Maybe I should just carry you.”

“No! I can run.” He’d seen, albeit briefly, how fast Wonwoo ran. Not only was it a terrifying speed, Junhui was sure he would get sick from the mere whiplash if he were to be carried.

Wonwoo didn’t seem satisfied, but he didn’t have time. Gritting his teeth, he nodded curtly. “Okay. Do exactly as I say,” he ordered, then took the boy’s hand and led him toward the woods.

The fact that Junhui could walk at all was a miracle. Now he was running faster than he’s ever ran in his entire life, trying to keep up with a demon. With Wonwoo holding his hand so tightly and zooming through the trees, he briefly wondered if his feet even made contact with the ground. The image of Wonwoo racing through the dense forest with a floating and dangling Junhui tethered to him filtered through his mind.

This part of the woods seemed darker than the one they had crossed earlier in order to reach Nyosha’s hut. The trees grew closer together, keeping the sunlight out of the forest floor. The ground wasn’t as flat, neither was the path as free of obstacles. Every path they took, there would be fallen trees, or rocks, or hills, or shrubs at each turn. Wonwoo didn’t explain any of it: who had come, why they were running away, where they were going, why he had gone back to put the Crystal in him.

Eventually, the pair reached what appeared to be an old river, although it had long ago been drained. There wasn’t so much as a feeble stream left. It was just dirt and rocks. They slid down the slope, crossing over the parched riverbed, then blended into the forest again. It was so strange how different this side looked. Trees still grew in numbers, their branches blocking the boys’ paths; however, the air seemed oddly still. A strange mist enveloped this region, suddenly giving him chills that had nothing to do with their damp clothes. No leaves sprouted from the branches. Black and gray trees stood bare, immobile, dead. There were no animals; everything sounded silent, except for the boys’ footsteps crunching on twigs and dirt.

As they ventured further and took a brief break for Junhui to breathe while Wonwoo orientated himself, Junhui realized that he was mistaken. There were animals here: beetles and maggots, creatures that crawled and devoured corpses of other creatures. Seeing him stare at the mangled body of a bird in horror, Wonwoo tugged on his hand and led him away. The farther they ran, the creepier this forest got. Little mushrooms grew on the roots and trunk of trees, releasing puffs of gray smoke as they crossed their paths; Wonwoo told him hold his breath. They passed by what Junhui thought was a creek after that, only it wasn’t water in the crater. It was some kind of tar, black and viscous. Some unfortunate souls had fallen in, their skulls and bones stuck halfway between the surface and liquid serving as a warning.

Once they were far enough, Wonwoo let him rest by some rocks. While Junhui enjoyed his reprieve, Wonwoo kept a vigilant eye on their surrounding. He seemed calm, if it weren’t for the crease between his eyebrows as he scanned the area.

“What is this place?” Junhui asked, eyeing the maggots squirming inside a rotten _something_. Whatever it once was, it no longer resembled its former image.

“They call it the Desolate Region,” he explained, still scrutinizing the immediate region. “The Tarac River used to pass through here a long time ago, but we’ve had to put a dam in order to conserve it close to the village since it began to drain. This region can’t survive without the nutrients provided by the river.”

Surveying the dead trees and animal carcasses, Junhui had to admit that these woods scared him half to death, but it was also disheartening.

“Can you keep going?” Wonwoo asked, pulling him back to attention.

“I—I guess,” he stammered. “But why are we running? Who’s chasing us?” They were such stupid questions to ask after the fact, but he had to know at some point.

Wonwoo gestured for him to follow him through the shrubs and over another hill, resuming their sprint. “Keegan and his men,” his voice sounded strained. “I’ll explain everything later.”

As they continued to run, dodging various obstacles, Junhui tried to make himself analyze what could have led them to this. From what he could guess, Keegan was the man he had seen at the house, the one who destroyed the table that resulted in Wonwoo getting a stake driven into his side. What could he want from them? Was he so infuriated with Wonwoo for not having found the stone yet that now he—

Someone tackled them from behind, sending both of them rolling on the ground. Junhui landed with a thud against a tree. Groaning, he opened his eyes, seeing stars and fuzzy figures flying from one side of the woods to another. By the time he could focus, he realized that they were surrounded.

Wonwoo pulled him up to his feet, putting himself between the boy and the rest of them.

The strange and dark mist enveloping them made it difficult to see the faces of their opponents clearly. Junhui did recognize the man from the house: Keegan. The other three men were huge, pure muscle mass and brute strength. Their torn and patched clothes, weapons, and facial expression indicated that they were hired henchmen of some sorts. One of them must have knocked them down. As his eyes slowly adapted and concentrated on each one, Junhui impulsively grabbed onto Wonwoo’s shirt more firmly. Those men might look human at first glance, but when they bared their teeth, the illusion shattered. Instead of teeth, these were narrow, sharp spikes. Whatever their eye color, the irises threw back the light like reflective tape. Those eyes were dead, soulless, devoid of any emotions. Merciless.

“Where’s the Crystal?” Keegan demanded, his bark slicing through the eerie silence.

Wonwoo met his glare. “Where it belongs,” he replied firmly.

Keegan frowned, eyes narrowing. Only to settle on Junhui. The glee that reflected in their depths elicited a shudder through the boy. Keegan changed his tone. “ _Tsk-tsk_. Why do you always have to make things more difficult than they need to be? I gave you a chance to save both of you from what’s now about to come, but you slapped my offer away.”

“Save your act of benevolence for someone else,” Wonwoo retorted.

Heaving an annoyed sigh, he said, “So stubborn. All you had to do was crush it. After going through all the trouble of leading little Junhui on to believe it could save his brother and yourself, the least you could’ve done is finish the job and save him from getting killed now.”

The weight of their words felt like an anvil bashing his head. With round eyes, Junhui stared at Wonwoo, his fingers progressively releasing their hold on him. He felt completely alone, helpless. The one person he thought he could trust through all this had been lying to him, and now he was stuck in the middle of this forest with demons all around him. How could he have been so naive?

Wonwoo felt Junhui’s grip on him slipping, and quickly tightened his hand around the former’s wrist. He tugged him closer.

Turning to Keegan, he said, “You would’ve killed us either way.” His voice was cold and unwavering. Unlike Junhui’s knees, which threatened to give at any minute.

Keegan’s eyes narrowed. “We shall see how long you can keep up that defiant attitude.” With a gesture of his head, he released his henchmen. “Bring them back to village.” Turning on his heels, he vanished through the bushes.

The three demons advanced toward the pair, and before Junhui could even form a command to make his legs work, Wonwoo shoved him aside as the brute with dark horns threw himself at them. “Run! Go as far as you can!” he ordered.

Junhui caught his balance and took off. His feet thumped on the dirt, his arms shredding through the leaves. He jumped, skidded, climbed. Never in his entire life had he moved so fast, with so much adrenaline pumping through his body. It didn’t take long for him to realize that the same demon was on his heels, simply bulldozing through thick branches and rocks. Breathing hard, Junhui ran until his lungs screamed for a break, whilehis legs kept consuming all the energy he had. Even his fastest wasn’t fast enough to outrun a full-blooded demon. He’d only managed to escape so far because he had found a small crevice and squeezed through it. Despite his strength, the demon still had to waste precious minutes to breakthrough the obstacle. But the distance between them was decreasing. Junhui had to find a better solution.

In a moment of pure instinct, he jumped on time before the brute could grab his legs from under him. Junhui took a sharp right, giving him a couple seconds of reprieve before the demon was right behind him again. There had to be something he could do soon; there wasn’t much in him left.

Like dodging any dangerous creatures, Junhui zig zagged to the left, taking his pursuer by surprise. The creature growled, picking up speed. Just when Junhui thought he would finally catch up to him, the boy made out a familiar plant. The heavenly bamboo lookalike that Gus had shown him. With the Crystal, Junhui was relatively safe, but the demon wasn’t.

Junhui ran straight for it, hopping over it at the last minute and letting his shoes brush the flowers. He smelled the intoxicating scent right away. Behind him, the demon coughed violently, and Junhui risked a peek. Grabbing at his throat, the brute coughed some more, but it wasn’t enough. His black orbs narrowed, glaring at the boy, as he resumed his pursuit. Great, Junhui had only managed to make him even more angry. A slope came into view, and Junhui slid down its side. Was there nothing to stop this guy?

Up head, he spotted one of those tar pits. In front of it was a thick branch extending out from one of the trees nearby. His eyes glancing up, he noted another branch, just out of reach. Thinking fast, he had to attempt it. Summoning everything he had left in him, Junhui sprinted right for the bottom branch, using it as a perch to jump up. His feet stomped on it, and he pushed up. The upper bough within reach, he grabbed it and heaved himself up. Just as he hoped, the savage behind him had been too intent on catching him that he paid little attention to his obstacles. He crashed through the trees, landing into the black goo. Holding on to the branch, Junhui watched below him as the demon roared, covered in that black tar. With great effort, he swung his arms out, his legs fighting below. His attempts to escape were useless, though. The more the moved, the quicker he wore himself out. Ultimately, tiredness won out, and the goo pulled him further down.

Once he deemed it safe, Junhui jumped down, landing in a heap. Taking in a few deep breaths, and ignoring the stings from the cuts on his skin, he tried to think of what to do next. The answer came instantly, and he took off.

Regardless of what Wonwoo had done, Junhui couldn’t leave him for dead. For whatever reason, he had decided to go against his orders and return the Crystal to Junhui. He risked his life trying to get Junhui away from Keegan. No matter how upset and confused Junhui was, he had to save Wonwoo. The now familiar tug he felt whenever the older was close by served him greatly now. It was like following this instinctive trail, a completely indescribable feeling that simply got stronger the closer he got to him. He had never felt more grateful for this ability.

Arriving at a ridge, Junhui spotted Wonwoo in the clearing below, battling for his life. A demon with ivory like horns laid on the ground, an ax sprouting from his chest. Junhui’s ears were ringing, and his entire body felt like pudding, but he didn’t care. He backed away from the ledge and found his way down to them. By the time he got there, the demon knocked Wonwoo down. The latter’s head hit the ground with a resounding thud. Taking advantage of his victim’s brief moment of weakness, he pulled out a dagger by his belt and launched himself at him.

Junhui sucked in a breath to shout, but he wasn’t fast enough.

The assassin plunged the knife downward.

However, by some miracle, Wonwoo snapped out of the painful daze and managed to block the attack. They struggled for power, but the fiend had the advantage of gravity on top of being much bigger and heavier than Wonwoo. At this rate, the latter wouldn’t be able to hold for long. The sharp tip of the dagger was little by little descending closer to Wonwoo’s chest.

Not thinking twice, Junhui grabbed the biggest rock he could pick up and threw it at the savage’s head. “Hey!”

It hit him in the jaw, successfully knocking him off Wonwoo. The short distraction allowed the latter to grab the weapon from his grasp and shove it straight into his heart. The brute stumbled backward, his hands still around the hilt. With one last look at what killed him, he collapsed and laid in his own pool of blood.

Wonwoo rolled away, panting. Junhui ran over and helped him up. Before he could ask or even check for himself if the older was hurt, Wonwoo pulled him against his torso, arms wrapped tightly around him. “You’re okay,” he breathed out. The relief carried through those words knocked Junhui off balance. “You’re okay.” At this point, he wasn’t sure whom Wonwoo was trying to reassure.

Unable to form words past the lump rising in his throat, Junhui could only nod frantically as he hugged him in return. Wonwoo’s ragged breathing blew over the boy’s nape, and his heart thundered under his ear.

“I was so scared that I wouldn’t find you on time,” Junhui croaked out, voice muffled by the other’s shirt.

Wonwoo tightened his hold. “Shhh, it’s okay. I’m okay.” Even as he tried to comfort the hysterical boy, he let him cry it out.

“I—I—I couldn’t even… warn you… about… the knife! If—If you weren’t… so quick… you’d—” His voice broke, not daring to even imagine what would have happened if Wonwoo hadn’t stopped the attack right at that second.

“Shh, kitten, calm down.” Wonwoo tried to talk over the sniffles. “But you did help.”

“Only at the very end.”

“No, even before that.”

“What?” Face streaked with tear tracks, Junhui lifted his head to look at him in confusion.

“I felt you coming,” Wonwoo grinned. “That’s how I was able to react so quickly.” He wiped the tears, but considering how filthy they both were, it didn’t really help. Still, it got Junhui to giggle a little as he rubbed his eyes. “So you saved me. Aren’t you proud?” It was a teasing reminiscent of the cynical comments Wonwoo used to make about his desire to help everyone in need.

Junhui laughed again and nodded.

They still needed to talk about a lot of things. But for now, all that mattered was that they were alive and together.

“Alright.” Wonwoo grabbed Junhui’s hand in his. “Let’s get out of here.”

As Junhui was willingly led away, his eyes swept over the ledge behind them. He stopped abruptly, resulting in Wonwoo’s pause as he followed the younger’s gaze. Keegan stood up there, a vicious grimace taking over his expression, both hands fisted tightly. His whole frame shook out of fury. His control on his human disguise was slipping, and he resembled the dead henchmen more and more.

“You are dead to us, Wonwoo.” He jabbed his long and claw-like finger in their direction, his hatred enough to make Junhui shake. “All for a pathetic little human. Mark my words, boy. You’ll meet the same fate as your treacherous ancestor.” With a disgusted look, Keegan surveyed then and the dead bodies, then disappeared in a flash.

Junhui looked over at Wonwoo, but the latter didn’t react to Keegan’s remark. His face expressionless. Wordlessly, the pair found their way back out of these woods. Junhui didn’t know what Wonwoo was thinking, but it was clear to him that Wonwoo had lost everything he had ever known. His family, his home, his title, his honor. Just like Taeseung, he had been shunned from his Clan and earned the label of a traitor.

The walk back to the main road took less effort, but somehow it seemed harder. What happened this afternoon would forever change the rest of their lives. Their motives were different, _they_ were different. Just how different, Junhui wasn’t so sure yet.

When they finally got out of the dark veil of the woods, Junhui realized that it must be late afternoon, nearing evening. The sun rays glowed orange against the darker blue. As he contemplated how they were going to get home, he scanned around them, wondering where the heck they were. There was an old road, but without any sign present on either side of the two lanes, it was anyone’s guess. Turning back Wonwoo to get some input, he saw him pressing his balled up shirt against his side. The gray undershirt was stained with various red spots from minor cuts.

“Oh, my—Sit down!” Junhui urged, pushing him down against a rock nearby. “Why did you hide something this important? How bad is it?”

“I’m fine,” he insisted, but hissed through his teeth when he lowered himself on the rock.

“Wonwoo…” Helpless, Junhui could only kick at the pebbles around as he peeked at the large gash. “We gotta get you home before you bleed out.” From what he could tell, it was from fighting with the demon with the axe. The blade had to be wide in order to create such a wound. To make matters worse, it was on the same side as the injury he’d gotten from Keegan a few days earlier; that injury hadn’t even fully healed yet. “I can’t believe I didn’t even notice.”

“We’re both covered in filth. It’d have been impossible.”

“But still!”

Digging around his pockets, Junhui hoped with every fiber that he hadn’t lost his phone during the chase. Finding it, he laughed hysterically, calling Minghao.

“Come on, come on, come on,” he mumbled, pacing back and forth, keeping an eye on Wonwoo. Finally, his brother picked up. “Hao!”

“What’s wrong?” he asked, realizing right away that Junhui was in trouble. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, but Wonwoo’s hurt, and—and—and he’s bleeding out! I need you to come pick us up!”

“What? Why haven’t you called an ambulance?” Hearing that his own brother was fine, Minghao felt more inclined to lecture him instead. “You know they take way less time to get there. Plus, their station is barely two streets over from Serenity Hill.”

“I can’t!” Junhui cried, frustration burning the tip of his nose and eyes. He breathed, trying to convey the urgency of the situation through the receiver. “Minghao, please! I beg you.” He sniffled, wiping his face. “This isn’t from some renovation accident.”

There was a short pause. It couldn’t have lasted for more than a few seconds, but it felt like hours. “Tell me where you are.”

The relief flooded through him, and he tried to keep his mind working. “I—I—I don’t know, there’s no sign or anything—”

“Tell him it’s the road that borders the Eastern Woods,” Wonwoo called behind him, wincing as he moved.

Junhui put a hand over his shoulder, and told Minghao, adding “We’re on the side of the road next to the boulders.”

“I’ll be there as fast as I can,” he said. “But you better have one hell of an explanation.”

During the time it took Minghao to find them, Junhui looked over Wonwoo as best as he could. If his wound had been on his arm or leg, a tourniquet could be tied. As each passing minute went about, the shirt turned redder. No matter how tightly they pressed it against his torso, blood continued to pour out, and the crystallization took place on the shirt instead of on his skin. If they were to remove the shirt, the flow would be too quick for the crystals to form, anyway. They were stuck. Eventually, Wonwoo lost so much blood that he got woozy, his head spinning.

“Here, lean on me.” Standing next to the rock, he let Wonwoo rest his head against his chest. To ease both of them, Junhui ran his fingers through the dark locks.

“This is a rather pleasant prelude to my death.”

Gasping, Junhui scolded, “Don’t say that! Hao will be here soon and we’re going to treat your wound and you’re going to be fine and…”

Wonwoo sighed. “If your brother gets here on time, ask him to drive us back to the house. There’s a small vial in the medicine cabinet with a purple liquid inside. Take it out.”

“What’s in it?”

“Water from the Tarac River. Just pour it over the wound. It should help mend it.”

“Okay.”

Just when Junhui thought that Minghao would never be able to find then, he heard the low purr of an engine. He turned his head down the road and saw a familiar truck. Finally spotting the pair, Minghao sped up. Coming to a halt, Minghao jumped down, then his eyes widened when he saw the state they were in.

“Jun, he needs to be taken to the hospital,” Minghao said, baffled at the amount of blood.

“We can’t,” Junhui replied, helping Wonwoo up. “I’ll explain on the way. Just help me put him in the back.”

With a groan and shake of the head, Minghao opened the door and pushed the seat forward. After Wonwoo was laid on the back seats, Minghao and Junhui climbed in, and the latter told him to take them to the Jeon House. He drove almost as fast as Wonwoo did on a regular basis, pushing over ninety.

“So tell me again why we’re doing this, and what the hell happened to you?” Minghao wanted to know, glancing at him.

Junhui hesitated, looking back at Wonwoo. The latter could barely keep his eyes open, but he nodded, giving him the okay. Junhui reciprocated.

The exchange did not escape Minghao.

“Wonwoo… can’t go to the hospital for the same reason that I haven’t been back since I was ten,” he told him.

Shocked, Minghao looked over at him. “Are you serious? How is that even possible?”

With a sigh, Junhui gave him the short version of the truth: Taeseung wanted to protect his son, so he and Mikyung got a magical Crystal—the same Crystal that Wonwoo and Junhui had inside of them. The leader of his Clan had wanted it destroyed, but Wonwoo went against them, resulting in the chase.

Luckily for all of them, Minghao had a very calm and composed predisposition. Had Junhui called Soonyoung for help, the three of them would have most likely crashed into a tree. His brother took a second to let it all sink in, then asked, “And how long have you known all this?”

“I guess since the night I was stuck in his basement during the storm, a little more along the way,” Junhui answered, turning around to check on Wonwoo again. He had lost consciousness, and Junhui swallowed. _Please let him be okay._

Minghao, seeing how distressed Junhui was, took them to the house without further probing. They brought Wonwoo inside and laid him on the couch in the living room. Then both of them ran around getting hot water, lemons, and bandages. Everything went by so fast, Junhui could hardly remember the details anymore. All he knew was that in the end, he got the wound cleaned with the hot lemon water, and then dropped the healing liquid over it. Just like Wonwoo predicted, the axe wound closed right in front of his eyes. Unfortunately, the amount of magic water wasn’t enough to fully heal it, leaving behind a gash the size of his pinky. Carefully, he bandaged it as best as he could, hoping that Wonwoo was right when he said that his kind healed faster than humans. He went to grab a blanket from the nursery upstairs and pulled it over Wonwoo’s body.

While that went on, Wonwoo came in and out of consciousness, but the fatigue and stress soon took over him, and by the end, he fell into an exhausted sleep. Junhui sat on the floor by the couch, watching his chest rise and fall. Then his eyes fell on the soiled shirt next to him. Picking it up, Junhui went into the kitchen to rinse it out.

Minghao stood by the open back door, staring out into the setting sun. When Junhui came in, he turned around, a somber expression on his face. “How’s he doing?”

Shrugging, Junhui turned on the water. “Honestly? I don’t know. He’s sleeping, though.”

“What happened to you today? Both of you.”

Junhui sniffled, rubbing the fabric under the jet of hot water. The water turned red, flowing down the drain. “A lot,” he started. Keeping his eyes on the task, he told him what went on with more details: how he had believed Wonwoo, how much he wanted to break the sick hold Hana still had on Minghao, how Nyosha had removed his Crystal, and everything that followed after that.

“Jun,” he sighed, moving inside the room. “I can take care of myself.”

“I never said you couldn’t, I just...” Junhui paused, shaking his head. “I don’t know, I thought I could fix everything.”

“You’re a good kid, and I know you have good intentions,” he said, his voice gentle. “But you can’t just go around making these kinds of decisions. Just think for a second what could have happened if things had turned for the worst. Good intentions don’t always equate good choices.”

Ashamed, Junhui lowered his gaze, wringing the water from the shirt. “I know. Thanks for coming.”

“So what now?” he asked.

“I guess letting Mom know would be the next logical step, considering how much time I’ll be spending here taking care of Wonwoo, just not the whole truth. Please don’t tell her about what Wonwoo really is—only that bad people were after him.”

“Bad people?” A dark look passed over Minghao’s face. “Why are you still protecting him? Haven’t you done enough? He’s the reason you almost got killed.”

“And he’s also the reason I’m not already dead,” Junhui responded. “What he did is between him and me, for us to sort out when he’s not... like that.” Turning around and leaning against the sink, he continued. “Hao, he’s lost everything, all because he changed his mind at the last minute. If it weren’t for his change of heart... We have to help him.”

“We?”

“Fine, _I_ have to help him.” Junhui stared back at his brother. Defiant.

Scoffing, he shifted his gaze to the window. “You do realize that he could turn back to the way he was.”

“Anything’s possible, I guess,” Junhui agreed, “But after what happened. I trust him. I can’t leave him all by himself.”

“Can’t or won’t?” he retorted.

Meeting his gaze, Junhui answered evenly, the words sounded surprising, but true. “Considering how much I’ve done and how far I’ve gone, what do you think?” Minghao studied him, assessing the response. “I’m in too deep to back out now. Besides, I don’t think I even want to.”

Leaving Minghao in the kitchen, Junhui headed back into the living room to check up on Wonwoo. A few minutes later, he heard Minghao talking in the kitchen faintly, and he guessed that his brother must be calling their mother. Explaining to her how, because of one man, Junhui had risked his life would be difficult, but Junhui had to eventually let her know. She wasn’t unfamiliar with sacrifices. Junhui decided to think about that when the moment came. Right now, he looked over Wonwoo and made sure he was truly all right.

His breathing was steady, and his pulse was stronger now, which reassured him. Junhui sat on the floor and folded his arms at the edge of the cushion, where he rested his head and studied him. Over the past weeks, he’d never really had the chance to just stare at him without being afraid that Wonwoo would catch him. Seeing his human form on that very first night, Wonwoo had appeared to be more like a character from a fairytale rather than the demon that almost killed him out of fright mere moments earlier. Back then, it had seemed odd how such a wholesome face could be paired with any sort of wickedness. Now Junhui knew. Jeon Wonwoo wasn’t supposed to grow up to be like the rest of them. Below the surface, past all the sins and cynicism, he was a descendant of Taeseung and Mikyung. Consequently, he had to have a soul, no matter what he thought of himself.

Wonwoo jerked, startling him. Something from his nightmares caused the small jolt, but he didn’t wake up. Junhui put his hand in his, wrapping their fingers together. That seemed to calm him down slightly.

Rubbing his thumb over the back of Wonwoo’s hand, Junhui murmured softly. “It’s okay, Wonwon. You’re all right.”

“J-Junnie,” he mumbled indistinctly. Surprised, the younger couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. Millions of butterflies took off in his stomach, and the fluttering from their Crystals combined to make it almost too much to bear. And yet, it was the most wonderful feeling.

“I’m right here,” he whispered, doubting he could hear him, but still. Junhui kept rubbing his thumb over his hand. Little by little, Wonwoo fell back into a heavy slumber.

By dint of staying there, Junhui must have fallen asleep as well, at some point, because the next thing he knew, two gentle hands rested on his shoulders. They shook him awake, then his mother’s voice reached his ears.

“Honey, you’re going to hurt your back sleeping like that.”

Opening his eyes, Junhui turned around to see her smiling at him. One hand brushed away the strands of hair that slid across his eyes. Junhui stirred, admitting to himself that his back did hurt from the weird position. Wonwoo was still asleep, his hand holding Junhui’s. Hyejin mouthed that she would be waiting in the kitchen. Junhui nodded and proceeded to retrieve his hand without disturbing him. Wonwoo shifted a little, but didn’t wake up. Quietly, Junhui pushed himself on his legs and headed for the other side of the house. As he passed by the windows, he realized that it had gotten dark already. _Goodness._

It wasn’t until now that his muscles began to get sore and ache. Hyejin was standing by the counter when he came in. With open arms, she embraced him, pulling him in tight. He rested his chin on the crook of her shoulder, the gesture and warmth and smell of her perfume so familiar. So many of his childhood memories were triggered by this simple act. All the laughs as well as all the frights. His body protested, reminding him that every inch of him felt tender from the overworked muscles, but he held on. The sudden longing to be small again, so that he could just stay at her side felt overwhelming. Maybe it was the near death experiences, or just the terror from this afternoon. He had no idea, but he didn’t really wonder where it came from.

“Minghao told me what happened,” she said, stroking his back like she had done for so many years. “I forbid you from ever pulling that sort of stunts again. When I got Minghao’s call, I could hardly breathe.” She put her hands around his face. “I thought I’d lost you.” She sighed, her smile fading somewhat, the relief of seeing her son in one piece making way for the worry. “Answer me honestly. Are you hurt anywhere?” She looked him over, assessing the skin abrasions and contusions on his arms, dotting the skin in blue and red patches.

Although her words were harsh, they came out gentle. Junhui shook his head. “I’m fine. What did Minghao tell you exactly?”

She watched him curiously, her eyebrows furrowing. “He said it has something to do with the Crystals, and it’s because of Wonwoo that you both got into this mess.”

Lowering his eyes, Junhui nodded. “He risked his life to get me out, Mom. Apparently the Crystals in our bodies are more valuable than we ever thought.”

Sighing, she nodded her agreement. “I knew it was a risk when I brought it back, but I never knew the extent of it.”

“What do you mean?”

“The myths that circulated around the Crystal when it was first discovered claimed that while its powers were a gift to many, others saw it as a curse and wouldn’t hesitate to destroy it.” Her voice caught and she took in a deep breath. “I’m sorry.”

“Mom, you couldn’t have known,” he told her, unwilling to make her bear the guilt. “It’s fine now.” He wanted to change the subject, so he looked around. “Where’d Hao go?”

“Outside,” she said. “Debating how he’s going to get the truck washed without anyone thinking he murdered someone.” He winced, and she added, “Those were his exact words.”

“I’m sorry,” he sighed. “I’ll help him out.”

She smiled slightly. “How’s Wonwoo doing?”

The feeling tugged at him, but he overlooked it. “He’s okay, so far. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I just cleaned the Crystals around his wound so that they wouldn’t end up cutting him. Then I put on some bandages. The blood flow stopped after a few minutes, but he still lost a lot of blood.” He felt it better to omit the part about the Tarac River.

“I stopped by the tea shop in Camilla, thinking the worst had happened to you” she said, grabbing a paper bag he hadn’t noticed before. She pulled a few glass jars with what looked like tea leaves. “I’m not sure how his system differs from yours, but I hope these herbs will work on him as well as they worked on you; they were always handy when you got hurt as a kid.”

“Really?” He didn’t remember seeing them, but when he opened one of the jars, the smell did appear familiar. “This is to drink, right?”

She nodded. “Those two combine to make tea,” she pointed to the jar he was holding and another one with dried red flowers in it. “These are to be soaked in hot water and applied on the wound.” Pulling out another jar, she tapped on the glass. It contained large, dehydrated leaves.

“Thanks, Mom,” Junhui smiled.

She returned the gesture, patting his head lovingly. “Since you’re the one standing in front of me unhurt, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt,” she concluded, and he grinned. “Now,” she called, examining the unfurnished kitchen. “It doesn’t look like we have much to work with.” Without any way of heating water, tea could not be brewed. “I suppose we’ll let these soak overnight, and come back in the morning with the tea.”

“Mom, you don’t have to come back,” he said. “I can do it.” Watching him for a moment, he knew she was worried, so he added, “They’ve already left Wonwoo for dead. It’s been hours, and they haven’t done anything. If they really wanted to hurt us, they would’ve done so already. Besides, you have to go to work. I don’t want this to ruin your job again.”

Even with all those reasons, it took her some time before she agreed, with the condition that he would either call or text her throughout the day so she knew he was all right. Then they set out to find a container and fill it up with the hottest water the faucet could yield. She took out a handful of those large leaves and submerged them into the water. After a few seconds, the water turned a little green due to the released chlorophyll. They had to soak overnight, so Hyejin left them in the kitchen. After that, she went out to the car to tell Minghao they were going home. Junhui stood there for a second, wondering how Wonwoo would fare alone tonight. Truthfully, he’d like to stay, but he knew he was already pushing it with Hyejin and Minghao. He had no doubt his brother would kick his butt and drag him home.

In the end, he left Wonwoo a small note in case he woke up, telling him that Junhui went home and that he would be back early the next day to check up on him.

 

In the morning, Junhui went into the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove. While the water heated, he made himself some toast and popped some pain killers. If it hadn’t been for those, he would have been writhing in pain all night without getting any sleep. The bruises were more noticeable today, but he ignored them. Running in the woods for your life had to leave its marks behind. He was grateful he hadn’t received anything worse.

Grabbing a thermos from the cabinet, he added some of the tea leaves and red flowers. After the kettle’s whistle went off, he poured the hot water in, watching as the liquid turned from clear to a pinkish gold color. It definitely smelled like the tea he was made to drink when he was little. Minghao wasn’t due at the garage for another couple hours, and Hyejin already left for the museum, so Junhui decided to go by himself. He grabbed a few more things, then headed out on his bike.

At the house, Junhui opened the door quietly and tiptoed to the living room. The whole house was quiet, so he assumed that Wonwoo was still sleeping. The couch where he had been laying on was empty. Only some dark and dried blood stains remained. Junhui went into the kitchen to check on the leaves, only to notice that they were gone. Next to them sat the soiled bandages. Wonwoo most likely knew what they were and changed his own compresses last night before relocating to his room. Opening the jar with the therapeutic leaves, Junhui poured out the water from the container and filled it up with fresh hot water. Letting everything soak, he went upstairs to look for him.

Since Junhui had worked with him, he had never really ventured anywhere near Wonwoo’s bedroom. He didn’t even know which room it was. So far, he’d only seen the nursery and one spare bedroom.

At the top of the stairs, Junhui looked down the hall to see if any door was left open. One door was shut halfway, and he softly walked closer. Peeking through the opening, he could see that the room was set up almost like the one he’d been in last. Instead of a vanity, this one had a desk and bookcases. The bed sheets were silver and navy rather than red, and the overall room appeared more spacious. The sunlight filtered through the open curtains, falling as a square of light at the foot of the bed. Wonwoo had his head turned away from the door, but his chest rose and fell at a steady rhythm, indicating that he wasn’t awake.

On the bedside table closer to the door, he had put down a new set of bandages along with an empty glass of water. As discreetly as Junhui could, he slipped through the gap between the door and the frame in order to not risk making the hinges creak. Wonwoo had the covers pulled up to his chest, so Junhui couldn’t check the injury. He did change into a clean white undershirt, though, he noticed as he set down the thermos next to the glass.

At the desk was a chair, and Junhui wanted to sit there and wait for him to wake up, but then a thumping upstairs made him pause. Goosebumps rose on his skin, and he looked upward. The attic was right above them, and no one could climb through the windows at this height. The muffled noise sounded like things moving, but he couldn’t make out what exactly. With a last look at Wonwoo, he chose to go check it out.

Grabbing the balustrade, Junhui pulled himself up the steps. Each stair he climbed felt like achieving an impossible task. He glanced down at his shirt, seeing it jump as a result of the pumping heartbeat underneath. Summoning all the courage he had, he mounted the last few steps and swung the door open. The hinges were eerily silent, as if they were oiled fairly recently. Rationalizing, Junhui realized that Wonwoo could’ve done it. Now as he examined the attic, no one jumped out to kill him. It was full of boxes and trunks, a set of carpenter tools hung in a corner, a dressmaker mannequin stood farther away. The sound he’d heard from downstairs came from the open windows. The loose nails on the shutters caused them to hit the house when the wind blew. Sighing in relief, he explored the place a little bit.

Buried on the left among the trunks, a baby grand piano hid under a tarp. Thanks to the protection, it wasn’t as damaged by time as it would otherwise be after so many decades. His fingers hit a few keys at random. The sound of the keys brought back memories of the afternoons he’d spend with his father listening to him play to him. Later on, the older man would try to teach him, but Junhui never had the same love (or talent) as he did. Similarly to how much Junhui longed to stay in Hyejin’s embrace last night, seeing this beautiful instrument made him miss his father so much so suddenly. It wasn’t the same way he thought of him on a regular basis. Not the sad and remorseful thoughts, but the happier ones. He wanted to feel like he did when he sat on a piano bench back then, to pretend that his father was still sitting next to him.

Details that Junhui so often thought he’d forgotten about him, the sound of his voice, of his laughs, how his cologne and soap smelled like. Now they fleetingly passed through his mind as he took a seat. His fingertips caressed the ivory keys, sensing their coolness under his skin. Without thinking, he played one of the lullabies that he knew best. As the first few notes of _Au Clair de la Lune_ floated in the air, he smiled to himself, almost laughing at how easy it was to remember the next key and how to keep time. He closed his eyes, losing himself to the soft lullaby, to the pictures that played back.

He heard a soft creak, and he opened his eyes. A little compartment had opened right where the sheet music would go. Puzzled, Junhui inspected the content. It was a couple sheets of paper, sheet music, to be exact. The song had no name, and it was written by hand. Did this open because he played the notes and hit the keys correctly for the lullaby? With a start, it came to mind that this lullaby did appear to be baby Hwan’s favorite. Mikyung had embroidered a scene inspired by the lyrics of the nursery rhyme. Whatever this mysterious song was, it had to be special, he thought as he examined the sheets. First the hidden letters in the photos, then the key from the nursery with the clocks, followed by the word under the bed of the Red Room. Now this. The Jeon House kept surprising him.

As Junhui read the notes, he tried to remember his scales and introduction lessons. The song itself didn’t seem all that difficult, but rather straight forward. Apart from the bridge, the rest of the song was composed of only a few notes, repeated over and over. It had to be some kind of berceuse. Testing them out, eventually he found the rhythm. Not counting the first attempts, the notes were soft and gentle, really reinforcing the idea that it was meant for a baby. Although simple, what it lacked in fanciful chords, it made up in sweet harmonies. He got to the bridge, and he struggled to find the right keys. Such lovely melody broken by ugly notes. He stopped, resting his fingers on the keys.

“Don’t stop.”

Spinning around, he saw Wonwoo leaning against the door frame, looking at him with a gentle gaze. His request had been spoken faintly, almost as a plea. His white shirt didn’t have any blood stain, so Junhui safely assumed that the gash hadn’t gotten worse. Wonwoo looked tired, but otherwise not confused or out of it at all. Still, he shouldn’t be out like this. He needed the rest, and Junhui probably shouldn’t be here messing around on his great-grandparents’ piano.

Getting up, he began, “Wonwoo, I think you should—”

“Please, just keep playing,” he insisted, coming into the room. Seeing him still hesitating, Wonwoo added, “It’ll make me feel better.”

“No fair,” Junhui muttered under his breath. “That’s cheating.”

Wonwoo cracked a smirk. “Indulge me, won’t you?”

Swallowing the little flutters that that grin brought on, Junhui scooted over so Wonwoo could sit down next to him.

Great. Not only will he have to battle the butterflies in his tummy, now he had to fight the nervousness from having Wonwoo watch him play. It was one thing to play around by yourself. Now with an audience, he wasn’t so sure he could even play the tune again. Wonwoo was still waiting on him, though, so Junhui shook himself and began. His fingers were shaking from the nerves, but he kept his eyes on the keys and the sheet. Wonwoo sat very quietly next to him.

When Junhui got to the bridge, his hands hesitated again. Just when he was about to stop and tell him he couldn’t play the rest, Wonwoo took over. Removing his hands from the piano, Junhui watched as his lithe fingers easily found the notes that he couldn’t. For some reason, even when Junhui didn’t know the tune, listening to him play, it felt right. Not once, though, did Wonwoo even glance at the music sheet. It was as if he knew this song by heart. The fact that he was musical already surprised him. Now, he was apparently familiar with this mysterious song. One that Junhui had to solve a puzzle in order to find. Wonwoo hit the final notes, and they sat there listening to the echo until it ebbed away.

“I didn’t know you played,” Junhui commented in a small voice, not willing to break the quietude.

“I don’t.”

“Huh? But—”

Wonwoo shook his head, incredulous. “I don’t know how to explain it. I just… knew this particular song.”

“Wow!”

Chuckling, he bumped their knees together. “But you play, though.”

“Ah.” Nodding, Junhui clarified, “Dad taught me, but I haven’t played in a really long time.”

The pause that followed wasn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it was the moment when they both tried to think of something to say now that the horrible events had passed.

“Did you drink the tea I left by your bed?” he asked. “My mom got it at the same place she used to shop when I was sick.”

He nodded. “Thanks, to all of you.” Moving his gaze to the younger’s face, he added, “The leaves really helped, too.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Junhui said, meaning it with a smile. “Come on, I’ll get you another cup and change your bandages.”

As Junhui got up, Wonwoo grasped his wrist. “That can wait,” he said. The expression on his face was serious, so Junhui sat back down, giving him a wary glance. “I owe you an apology and an explanation.”

Since Junhui wasn’t sure how to react, he listened without audible comments. Wonwoo was staring right at him, though, with those piercing dark eyes. Despite the situation being that he was the one apologizing to him, Junhui still squirmed a little under his gaze as he tried to keep eye contact.

“Admittedly, in the beginning, I lied to you for the sole purpose of getting what I wanted, in order to return to my former self, thus enabling me to reclaim the glory owed to my family name. I’m sorry for using your trust to my benefits.” He paused, shaking his head. “When I came back from the trip, I imagined that tricking you would be simple and easy, but the more time I spent with you, the harder it became. I had second thoughts, yet I let it go on.

“The only redeeming deed I had in the affair was asking Nyosha if you would come out all right, and if she had something in case removing the Crystal had side-effects. After I left you with her, I went to find Hana. By then, I talked myself into thinking that you would be better off without the dangers that surround having the Crystal, and that perhaps I could find a way to break her hold on your brother.”

To say that Junhui was shocked that he went that far would be an understatement.

Grinning slightly, Wonwoo said, “I thought that if I could find a way, maybe it’d ease the guilt a little, and I wouldn’t have completely lied to you.” He sighed, breaking eye contact and staring at the piano keys. “When I realized who was the person whose mission it was to identify you, though, the game changed. I could hardly believe that everyone would keep from me the fact that my own father had come to Diamond Creek three years ago.”

Junhui’s mouth hung open in shock. Quickly, he had to remember to close it.

“So I went to see one of his only friends: Seo Olivia. There she told me everything.” Wonwoo summarized in great details how the conversation went, and every time Junhui thought he’d heard it all, something new popped up. Finally, the older said, “So that’s why I came back and restored your piece of Crystal,” he met the boy’s gaze, “I didn’t want you to have to pay for my mistakes. You deserve more than all of this,” he waved his hand around them. “Better than all of me. I don’t care what Nyosha said, you—”

“Wait,” Junhui interrupted. “What did she say?”

Wonwoo sighed, rubbing his forehead. “While you waited outside, I asked her about my theory concerning that... _feeling_ we both have for each other,” he explained, and Junhui nodded, not quite understanding yet. “According to her, the Crystals can’t be held responsible. The original Crystal wasn’t designed to influence what we feel, or toward whom we felt it.”

A heartbeat passed while Junhui could compose his thoughts. He knew a feeling that strong couldn’t be fabricated. True, it was unlike anything he’d ever felt before, but he also knew that it had to be real. Something like that couldn’t be induced by their Crystal. Minghao was the proof. Even when he was fed pure love, he couldn’t feel it.

“I should’ve known that feelings that strong couldn’t be produced by mere magic,” Junhui said, chuckling softly at how naive he’d been.

Seeing that he had made the connection, Wonwoo smiled softly, “That’s rather unfortunate for you.” Junhui frowned, confused by what he was saying. “I told you, I’m not... good for you, Junnie.” Considerately, he took the younger’s wrist in his hand, running his thumb over a bruise. “See?”

Swallowing, Junhui took in a breath and ignored the last comment by pulling his arm away from the older’s scrutiny. “Wonwoo, there’s no one else I know who could’ve done what you did for me yesterday.” He paused. “Love isn’t always fireworks. A love like that consumes you hard and fast, but as amazingly as it started, in no time at all, it ends, shattering into a million pieces. I don’t claim to be any kind of expert on the matter, but I know that you aren’t the heartless monster you keep imagining yourself to be.” Gingerly, Junhui put his hand in his, and Wonwoo knotted their fingers together. “If you really didn’t feel anything at all, if you were like them at all, you wouldn’t have sacrificed everything you’d worked so hard for. They may have mastered all the powers in the universe, but there is one thing they will never be able to learn and experience.”

“And what is that?” Wonwoo glanced at him.

“The ability to devote yourself to someone you care about. Only Taeseung could, and he left them.”

Leaning over, Wonwoo rested his forehead on Junhui’s gently. “That devotion eventually killed him and the person he loved, remember?”

“Everything comes at a price. Taeseung and Mikyung understood and paid their dues.”

“Are you ready to pay it? Honestly, I’m not even sure I can afford it.”

Smiling a little, Junhui teased, “I think you already partially paid yesterday.”

That made Wonwoo chuckle. Very carefully, as if afraid he might break him, he raised his hand and stroked the boy’s cheek. “Do you even know what you’re asking for? What being with me entails?”

Despite his stomach doing somersaults and his heart imitating a drum, Junhui gripped Wonwoo’s shirt and refused to back down. He could feel the blush rushing up his cheeks as he said, “I… I don’t know, but I want to find out.”

Wonwoo smirked, only serving to make his heart beat even faster. “Aren’t you a brave little one?”

The remark prompted him to giggle, grinning wider. Maybe it was the thrill of the moment, of finding out their feelings for each other were real and genuine. Maybe it was from seeing Wonwoo finally letting down his rigid defenses and allowing him in. Maybe it was their pieces of Crystals, giving him the push. Whatever the reason, Junhui suddenly felt bold.

Still gripping Wonwoo’s shoulders, he leaned in and pecked his lips.

It wasn’t until a second later, when he pulled away that the embarrassment and realization of what he had done crashed onto him like an icy wave. Unfortunately, that did nothing to help extinguish the burning tips of his ears nor the heat on his face.

Across the bench, Wonwoo stared at him with wide eyes. “You—”

Unable to bear it any longer, Junhui shot to feet, hands already glued to his cheeks. “I’ll go prepare your tea!” Then he ran out of the attic, hopping down the stairs three steps at a time.

He had barely made it down to the foyer, before his wrist was tugged. In the next second, Wonwoo slammed him against the wall and claimed his lips. The kiss was rough and domineering, but Junhui let himself be devoured. Because after every harsh bite, a gentle lick would follow to ease the sting. The possessiveness coupled with a warmth that filled Junhui’s body with elation as he clung to Wonwoo. All of the emotions that Wonwoo had repressed for so long came pouring out—the pain and loneliness, the fear and anger, the desperation and helplessness. They flowed out, only to be turned into such tender feelings, Junhui could only taste Wonwoo’s affection and happiness.

By the time they pulled apart, both were breathing raggedly, yet unwilling to truly part. Junhui felt pleasant tingles all over his body as he let his head fall against Wonwoo’s shoulder. The latter held him by the waist, free hand tracing over his red and swollen lips with a self-satisfied smirk.

“You’re not going to run away this time?” he asked. The deep voice whispered so close to his ear caused Junhui to shiver. It was only afterward that he realized where they were.

On that first night, they had stood in this very spot after Junhui had discovered Wonwoo’s secret. Looking back now, he couldn’t help laughing at himself. He really had stood no chance against Jeon Wonwoo.

“No,” Junhui shook his head, face buried against Wonwoo’s neck. “I won’t go anywhere without you anymore.”

Above him, Wonwoo chuckled and tightened his hold around his waist.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
> 
> HOW WAS IT?! SO MANY THINGS HAPPENED IDEK WHAT TO SAY (and also bc my brain is kinda fried right now, so 😅)
> 
> just to be clear: the first part where jun got the crystal removed, everything he felt was only going on inside his body. like, he wasn't actually being roasted alive or cut up by tiny knives.
> 
> Wonu fighting off 2 of those demons on his own, though! but i am more impressed with junnie being able to survive lol. maybe they sent the dumbest demon after him bc they underestimated him as a human or something. AT ANY RATE. WONHUI TRIUMPHED!!!!!
> 
> THE WONHUI!!!!!!!!!!!!! At this point, i just want to scream bc FCKING FINALLY +｡:.ﾟヽ(´∀`｡)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟﾟ+｡:.ﾟヽ(*´∀`)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟ
> 
> IDK was it worth it? did it live up to your expectations? did it come too soon? was it bad? i hope i didn't disappoint anyone 😔 waaaahhhh i don't knoooooooow (pls let me know. and if you do have criticism, pls be nice. i'm really exhausted lol)
> 
> and 😂 at Hao. i shouldn't laugh bc wonu was literally bleeding out, but yahhhhh. big bro hao does not approve of this demon hybrid as his future brother in law (yet!)
> 
> and the piano... yes, i know. pianos do not just sound good after almost a hundred years of disuse and no tuning. but the house is kinda magical, so pls let it pass 😅 (or maybe the ghosts did it~ OoOoOoOoOoH~ spooky~ 👻)
> 
> soooooo... did Keegan and the elders really leave wonu for dead??? HMMMMM 👀👀👀
> 
> anyway, i hope it was enjoyable. there are probably more typos than usual, so i'll go back and edit tomorrow or something. as always, thank you very much for reading, and i hope to see you next time! ^_^  
> xoxoxo


	24. Good Intentions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun keeps Wonu company while he heals, but asks for kisses instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! 
> 
> I'm sorry it's posted so late waaaaahhhh T_T But hurray for it finally being here! hahah. Thank you everyone who wished my cat a good and quick recovery! 😭 💖 i'm really touched. 
> 
> OK SO. onto to happier things for everyone's sake. 
> 
> there is _SLIGHT_ sexual content in the first half of the chapter. and it's really tame, but just in case, i guess i'd mark this T+
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> -

 

Junhui spent the whole weekend at the Jeon House with Wonwoo. Since the latter was in no shape to do anything very heavy and straining, they tried to go through the house searching for those puzzles that seem to pop up from nowhere. The more they looked though, the better the puzzles seem to hide. Junhui tried to retrace his steps, taking Wonwoo into the sitting room with the photographs containing the hidden letters, then up to the nursery and the spare bedroom for the other clues. Unfortunately, throughout their tour, nothing fantastical appeared.

“Maybe it only works if we’re not actively searching,” Junhui concluded.

Since solving the mystery didn’t work out, the boys kept themselves busy with small tasks around the house instead. Like changing light bulbs and finishing removing the wallpaper on the second floor, and mainly cleaning. During breaks, they went out to play with Jelly, Chip, Milky, and the still unnamed kitty.

“You should give him a name,” Junhui suggested. “It’s not fair that his siblings and mom have names and he doesn’t.”

“But why me?”

Cradling Milky in his arms, Junhui looked over to see the kitty in question sniff around Wonwoo’s hand, attempting to climb into his lap. “Aww! Look, he likes you!”

Wonwoo smiled fondly at the little guy, carefully scratching his fluffy little head as he held him in the palm of his hand.

“Don’t you want to have your own kitten?”

The gentle look with which Wonwoo had been casting on the baby cat suddenly morphed into a teasing expression as he flickered his gaze over to the boy sitting across from him. Smirking, he remarked, “I already have my very own kitten, though.”

As the pieces clicked, Junhui flushed. His stomach swooped, and his cheeks turned bright red. With a squeak, he pressed the fluffy white coat of Milk’s tummy against his face to hide. Behind his protective shield, he heard Wonwoo laugh, and he melted such a little bit more upon hearing the deep and rich sound.

“You’re avoiding the subject!” Junhui argued weakly, collapsing on the floor and letting Milky climb onto his head.

“Mm.” Wonwoo seemed to ponder the idea seriously as he studied the kitten. After a few moments, he said, “Happy.”

As though agreeing, the newly named little guy meowed softly.

The boys shared a look, and Junhui grinned widely. “I think that’s perfect.”

Afterward, they replenished the food bowls, along with fresh water, and let the cats play among themselves. They returned to the main floor and resumed working.

While the small tasks kept their hands busy, Wonwoo prompted Junhui to talk. He wanted to know random little details about the younger’s life, like his favorite subject in school, his most memorable childhood memory, favorite color, best present at Christmas, and the list went on. The fact that Wonwoo initiated a one-sided game of 20 Questions both surprised and amused Junhui. It was rather difficult to imagine that he would have the patience to listen to the younger describe in detail the best hotpot he had ever eaten during a food convention at school.

Or about the time Jaehyun and his friends created a fake school letter and sent it to Junhui’s house, about a special Halloween event with a harvest theme. Junhui came to school dressed as a carrot, only to realize it had been a senior prank meant to embarrass him. Luckily for him, he had the best group of friends. Soonyoung showed up in a lettuce costume (just so he could yell out: “Lettuce dance!” throughout the day), and Chan was an ear of corn, which of course meant he brought popcorn to shared with the group. Not wanting to hinder his daily activities, Jihoon became a farmer. He carried with him a giant fruit picker, which he brandished and used to threaten Jaehyun and the other bullies any time they came within a hundred feet of their group. Hansol wore a bright orange pumpkin costume, and Seungkwan looked amazing as a scarecrow (he screamed in Jaehyun and Vince’s faces a lot).

“It turned out to be one of the best days at school,” Junhui giggled. “We even made it into the yearbook!”

Wonwoo gave him a tight smile, but the gesture didn’t reach his eyes. “You have very good friends.”

“I do!”

“Did he try to get back at you?”

“Huh?”

“Park Jaehyun.” Dropping the sponge in the bucket, he elaborated. “Did the bastard do anything to you later on?”

 _Oh, no._ Junhui had to do some damage control. He hadn’t meant to bring down the mood. Truth be told, he’d completely disregarded the initial context of the halloween dress-up party because he’d had so much fun with his friends. The last thing he wanted was to get Wonwoo angry over something as ugly as Jaehyun’s petty pranks.

Putting on a bright smile, he shook his head. “Nope! Anyway, so then that Christmas…” And just like that, Junhui swerved onto a different topic, thinking hard on only bringing up the most silly and hilarious tidbits. Wonwoo could probably tell what he was aiming to do, but he didn’t call the younger out on it. Instead, he listened attentively, adding comments here and there. Eventually, he seemed to relax again, even chuckling a few times.

After a few rounds of telling him more random trivia, Junhui finally understood the reason behind Wonwoo’s questions. Even though Junhui had a tough childhood, his parents (then later just Hyejin) did their best to treat him as normally as possible. He wasn’t given the preferential treatment as opposed to Minghao. If either one of them did something wrong or misbehaved, they were equally penalized. If they did well, they were rewarded. So in the end, Junhui was more or less raised as a normal child. Wonwoo didn’t have that luxury.

If his mother was any indication, he’d had to grow up much sooner than necessary, and in such a harsh and cruel environment, no less. Moreover, all the times he stood up for Minsoo and shared some of her punishments couldn’t have left much of a childhood for him. Asking Junhui all of these questions was his way of knowing more about the younger, but also to somewhat imagine what it must have been like to grow up with loving people surrounding him. Once that realization hit, Junhui probably ended up driving him insane with the amount of details he put into each answer. If Wonwoo did get bored, he didn’t show any sign.

 

In fact, aside from that flare of anger earlier concerning Jaehyun, Wonwoo had been particularly calm and composed over the past couple days. Which was more than could be said about Junhui. He wasn’t sure what he expected to change once they’d kissed, but it sure wasn’t this surge of unknowns. Their conversation in the attic could be considered confessions, right? Their feelings were mutual? Did that make them boyfriends now? Junhui had no clue, and he had no prior experience to fall back on, either.

The uncertainties were kept at bay when they worked. After all, it didn’t take very much to distract Junhui’s attention. It was during the quiet moments, that everything surged to the surface, causing him to grow progressively more self-conscious and very much aware of Wonwoo mere inches away from him.

Every time he’d catch a glimpse of Wonwoo’s hands, he’d recall the older holding him: the strength of his arms contrasting so jarringly with the tenderness and careful consideration of his touch as if Junhui were made of soap bubbles.

Whenever he glanced at Wonwoo’s eyes, he’d remember the fondness in them as they gazed at him. His stomach did somersaults at the memory, and he looked away before getting caught with red cheeks.

As he did so, his eyes inadvertently flickered over Wonwoo’s mouth, which was something he had tried so hard not to do. Junhui knew all too well what kind of memories that would conjure up, and he bit down on his lip in a futile attempt to temper the feelings down. Unsurprisingly, his skin tingled all over as the sensation of Wonwoo’s kiss washed over him. His heart thumped harder, and Junhui prayed with all his might that Wonwoo wouldn’t call him out on it.

In a way, Junhui got his wish. Peeking at his companion, he noticed no change in his posture. Wonwoo still stood beside him, movements rhythmic and steady as he wiped the windows free of water. At the risk of sounding childish and bratty, Junhui felt frustrated and conflicted. On the one hand, he didn’t want Wonwoo teasing him, but on the other, he couldn’t suppress the disquiet notion that he was the only one getting agitated by the new and unexplored feelings.

For one _(very brief)_ second, Junhui considered asking Soonyoung for advice, but as soon as the thought occurred, he dismissed it. That would spell nothing but disaster for Junhui, and he’d had enough of that to last him several lifetimes.

“What’s gotten you thinking so hard?” Wonwoo asked.

The sudden question startled him, and Junhui blinked. “Huh? Nothing.”

“‘Nothing’ gets your heart beating that fast?” he arched a brow, not believing him at all.

“That’s cheating.”

“I wouldn’t have to cheat if you told me the truth.”

Junhui puffed out his cheeks. At last, he breathed and shook his head. “It’s… it’s just dumb. Don’t mind me.”

Obviously, Wonwoo was not going to leave it alone. “Whatever it is, it can’t be dumb if you’re this distressed over it.”

Stomping his feet, he shouted, “I… Why are you so calm?!”

“Excuse me?” It was difficult to tell whether Wonwoo was taken aback by Junhui’s tantrum or his question.

At any rate, for Junhui, it felt like a dam had broken, and his words flowed out on their own accord. “I feel like I’m the only one who feels restless and excited and nervous over… us. And I— _ugh!_ I’m sorry. This is so stupid.” Slumping his shoulders, he slapped his hands over his face. “Please just forget—”

“You really are a fool.”

Before Junhui could give a reaction, Wonwoo tugged a hand away and pressed it to his chest. Under the black shirt, his heart thundered, just as fast and erratic as Junhui’s. The latter’s eyes turned round as he glanced up at him.

“Just because it doesn’t show on my face or through my behavior doesn’t mean I don’t feel at all.”

Slim fingers closed around the black fabric, fisting it in the palm. His voice was small as he ventured, “So you really do feel everything I do?”

In answer, Wonwoo backed him up against the wall. One hand titled his chin to the side, exposing his neck for the older to breathe over the tender flesh. Junhui shivered, clutching the tee-shirt even tighter. This wasn’t the first time he’d felt like prey under Wonwoo’s piercing gaze, but never had it felt this thrilling.

Wonwoo ran the pad of his thumb along the slope of the younger’s neck and shoulder, touch as soft as a feather. It should have tickled and prompted him to burst into giggles, but with Wonwoo’s scent and heat enveloping him, it felt intoxicating.

“Affections aren’t common within my kind. In fact, they’re implicitly forbidden. Still, no rule can stop the possessive urge to claim what’s ours.” He ran the tip of his nose upward to nuzzle against Junhui’s temple, hot breath brushing the younger’s ear and eliciting another shudder and a tiny whine.

Wonu smirked, his voice dark and alluring as he continued, “If I didn’t have to care for these injuries, you’d be the one confined to bedrest this weekend, kitten.”

Junhui sucked in a sharp breath, a mix between a gasp and a whine. Heat pooled in his tummy, coiling and twisting. He shut his eyes at the onslaught, clinging to him tightly. “Wonwoo…”

The older claimed his mouth before he could say more. Not that he could muster up much else. He didn’t resist, opening readily for him when Wonwoo’s tongue licked into his mouth, teeth nipping at his bottom lip. The kiss was filthy, robbing Junhui of every coherent thought aside from _Wonwoo Wonwoo Wonwoo_. Soft little mewls filled the silence around them, and Wonwoo grinned, releasing his plump lip with a _pop!_

Junhui felt dizzy, chest heaving as he tried to breathe. He was still burning up. His knees trembled, and he fell against Wonwoo’s chest.

“Was that enough to convince you?” the older teased, one arm wrapped around Junhui’s waist to keep him steady, while the other slid under his shirt to caress the small of his back.

With glassy eyes and glistening red lips, Junhui looked up at him from under his lashes. The flush on his cheeks darkened as he whispered, “I want more.”

Wonwoo laughed, incredulous. “Who knew you’d be such a little vixen?”

“Am not— _ah!”_

Wonwoo lifted him up by the thighs, leaving Junhui no choice but to wrap his legs around the older’s waist, arms clinging to his neck. Despite what he might feel or how he behaved on a daily basis, Junhui was not small. But the ease with which Wonwoo just picked him up made butterflies swirl in his tummy. The older’s hold was strong and steady, and the fear of falling didn’t even occur to him. Not that his thought processing could go very far, seeing as he was getting kissed senseless.

He never knew kissing could feel so good. Still, he had a suspicion it had more to do with the demon he was kissing more than anything else.

“Fuck, kitten, you gotta stop torturing me like this,” Wonwoo broke away and growled loudly against his neck. Junhui blinked, not quite understanding, until the other added, “All those years dancing really came through, I see.” One hand squeezed his bottom, and Junhui squirmed. He didn’t even have time to get embarrassed by the high-pitched moan he let out, because Wonwoo groaned and pressed him against the wall with another groan.

And then Junhui felt it through their jeans. A mixture of fear and arousal jolted up his spine in response to Wonwoo’s size. He wanted to know what it’d feel like to be embraced by Wonwoo in such an intimate act, but at the same time, he was terrified of breaking through unknown waters.

Not knowing how to process all of these emotions, he whined and hid his face against the crook of Wonwoo’s shoulder.

Wonwoo laughed slightly, rubbing his side in broad strokes. “Still think you don’t get me excited?” He squeezed a thigh for good measure.

Feeling his cheeks heat up once more, Junhui burrowed even closer and let out a petulant huff, which only caused Wonwoo to laugh once more.

“Aren’t I heavy?” Junhui asked after a few seconds. Regardless of their little escapade, he had to remember that he was here to help Wonwoo recuperate, not add on to his exhaustion. Plus, now that things had calmed down, the embarrassment rushed back to the forefront of his mind.

But Wonwoo held him tighter, unwilling to let him down. “No.”

“Then can we stay like this for a bit?”

He felt the older smile against his temple. “Sure.”

Eventually, after quite a long time, Junhui asked to set down on the floor to stand on his own. He couldn’t quite meet Wonwoo’s gaze yet, even though he kept his index finger curled around the older’s belt loop to stay close to him. Just when he was wondering what to do next, his growling stomach made itself known. He squeaked out an embarrassed giggled, free hand wrapping around his middle as he bent over and laughed some more.

Wonwoo chuckled. “Let’s get you some food.”

And just like that, the slight awkwardness dissipated thanks to food. Junhui grinned and followed the older to the kitchen, never having been more grateful to his stomach.

 

On Saturday night, Hyejin stopped by after work to bring Junhui home and check up on Wonwoo. When people say that mothers know everything, they are absolutely right. It didn’t take long for her to give him and Wonwoo _that_ look. Although in hindsight, Junhui had no idea how she could tell things had changed; they hadn’t done anything but kiss a couple times. _Technically_. Wonwoo hadn’t marked him, so there was no visible evidence left behind.

Moreover, although Junhui was rather clingy by nature, he hadn’t dared to cross that line with Wonwoo quite yet, mainly due to his nervousness, but also because he didn’t want to accidentally aggravate his injuries. So from an objective point of view, the boys’ behaviors couldn’t have tipped her off. And yet… Mothers really were amazing.

After Hyejin gave him some more medicinal leaves and asked about the progress of his healing, she asked Junhui to leave the room temporarily so she could speak to Wonwoo in private. He lingered in the doorway, not willing to part without hearing what they had to say. But they both gave him a stern look and shooed him out. With a sigh, he obeyed and waited in the dining room (he could always pester one or both about it later on).

 

When Sunday morning came, he and Wonwoo sat on the steps of the porch, making a list of what had been done to the house and what still needed to get fixed and sorted out. Junhui wondered how long a house project like this would usually take normal people. If he and Wonwoo hadn’t been distracted by all sorts of events, would they have already gotten it done? At the speed that Wonwoo could work, it seemed very plausible. Since he wasn’t supposed to strain himself, though, they would need to proceed with more caution, with a much slower rate.

When the crunch of car wheels on the dirt path echoed, they both looked up to see a familiar black sedan getting driven into the front yard. Junhui couldn’t believe that he’d totally forgotten about Wonwoo’s car in the aftermath of his Crystal extraction. From the look on his face now, Wonwoo forgot about it, too.

“Glad to see you’re still in one piece, Jeon Wonwoo,” Minsoo commented with a bright smile as she stepped out of the car. “Hi, Junhui.” She waved at him.

He set down the pad of paper and stood up, smiling, “Hello.”

In contrast to his and Minsoo’s sunshine predisposition, Wonwoo slowly got to his feet. “How did you find out about it?” he wanted to know, his voice somber. “Did Keegan tell—”

“No,” she shook her head, the smile on her face fading. “If it weren’t for the fact that the woods are abuzz with the racket that went on, I probably wouldn’t have known, either. The Elders didn’t mention anything.”

Wonwoo frowned, perplexed. “I would’ve thought they’d take the chance to let the entire Clan know of my mutiny.”

“You know how proud Keegan is,” she said gently with a shrug. “He might be holding off on telling us because he doesn’t want to have to explain how you two were able to beat three of his ruthless mercenaries.”

“Or he doesn’t think I am worth his mention at all,” Wonwoo suggested. “We never found out about any of the people the Elders had shunned over the years. Not until their bodies turned up.”

Standing in the middle of this conversation, Junhui felt really out of place. He kept himself back a couple steps, head lowered to observe the pebbles at his feet. He knew it was illogical, that the ones to be blamed were The Elders, but his heart still felt heavy. In essence, the reason why Wonwoo had been ‘banished’ was because of him. Wonwoo was shunned and kicked out of his own home because he stood up for Junhui and protected him. Wonwoo went against his people for Junhui, in the exact same way Taeseung did for Mikyung. Idly, he wondered if she ever felt the guilt gnawing at her.

As the cousins continued to discuss what happened and the possibilities that Wonwoo really did get ostracized forever, Junhui considered finding an excuse to go inside to do... something. He had to make himself leave that dark place, to pull himself back on the positive side of things. But first, he had to take a breather. His mind began to formulate an exit, and he waited for a break in the conversation to interject.

From the corner of his eye, Wonwoo noticed how fidgety the boy stood. The latter was too busy rehearsing the lines in his head to realize that his thoughts could be read on his face. So it came as a surprise, when he felt a firm hand come around to rest on his waist. Timidly, Junhui glimpsed up. Wonwoo didn’t spare him a look, continuing his conversation with Minsoo, but the small gesture spoke volume. _Stay put_. Junhui stopped squirming.

Afterward, it was decided that Wonwoo and Minsoo had to go hunting. Junhui tried not to conjure up the images that accompanied the thought of Wonwoo chasing and taking down prey. When he mentioned food, though, Junhui realized that he hadn’t seen him eat anything over the past couple days. Any time Junhui snacked or ate lunch, Wonwoo would drink a couple cups of the healing tea, claiming that its properties would give him plenty of nutrients without having to exert energy eating. Of course, Junhui went home for the night, so maybe Wonwoo went to feed then? Not even knowing of the latter’s eating habits made Junhui feel like a bad nurse. He had to do better!

Minsoo went into the woods ahead of her cousin, probably to go warn the animals she’d become friends with. While she did, Wonwoo decided to check his car and see the damages. Junhui didn’t even notice until he got closer. Since Minsoo didn’t have the key when she came across it at the side of the road, she had to resort to breaking open a window, before she could unlock the door and find the spare key Wonwoo hid. 

Now Wonwoo examined the glass-less window, seeing if anything else got damaged.

Junhui leaned his folded arms on top of the driver’s door. “Why did you make me stay earlier?” he wondered. “It’s not like I had anything to contribute to the conversation.”

Not taking his eyes away from his task, he answered, “That’s not the reason you wanted to leave.”

“And how would you know that?” Junhui challenged.

“Your heartbeat increased,” he replied, which gave the younger a small jolt. “Kind of like right now.”

“That’s not fair,” Junhui complained.

Ignoring that, Wonwoo said, “You can’t just run away from confrontations, no matter how small or insignificant.”

Sighing, Junhui commented, “I know, but I don’t do well around them.”

“I noticed,” he smirked. “That’s why you gotta start being around them more. After a while, you’ll get used to all sorts of skirmishes.”

Groaning, Junhui made a face at him. Wonwoo glanced over at him, laughing when he saw the boy’s expression.

Thankfully, he didn’t think Junhui needed to be present when he and Minsoo confronted their lunch and dinner. While they went into the woods, Junhui returned to the house and finished making the list of repairs. And then he took a nap.

 

On the ride home with Wonwoo that afternoon, he noticed how both the exterior and interior of his car always looked impeccable no matter what. That reminded him of Minghao’s truck, which had been parked in their driveway since Friday night. Minghao had been using one of the garage’s spare cars since he hadn’t found the time to clean all the blood. Junhui had told him that he would take care of it, but he had no idea where to begin. Asking Wonwoo for advice seemed like a good idea.

“What kind of products do you use to wash the upholstery?” he asked as they headed down the hill. He waited until they neared the flat ground before even attempting speaking.

Glancing over at him, his eyes narrowed. “Are you trying to suggest something?”

“No!” Junhui said quickly. “I still have to clean Minghao’s truck, and I have no idea what to buy to get the job done best.” With a look around, he added, “You just seemed like a good person to ask.”

“Right, your brother’s car,” Wonwoo stated, reminded of its condition. “I’m really sorry about that.”

“Apologizing for bleeding is rather silly,” he kid, and Wonwoo chuckled.

“Let’s swing by the store.” He drove to the nearest auto parts shop, and the two headed for the correct aisle. He showed him the various bottles, commenting here and there. Junhui counted one bottle for carpets and seats, one for the dashboard and steering wheel, another one for windows, and finally, a spray bottle for the exterior.

“Seriously?” he asked, nudging the basket containing all those products. 

Wonwoo shrugged. “You asked.”

At the register, he insisted on paying the lump sum. Junhui wanted to at least share half of it, if not the entire bill, but the older refused.

Back in the car, Wonwoo explained, “It doesn’t take much to see how your brother feels about me. Do you think he’s going to want me hanging around his mode of transportation? The least I can do is buy the supplies, and you would just provide the labor.”

He had a point; Minghao was pretty peculiar about his things. “Okay.” He shrugged. “Sounds good.” Picking up a bottle at random, he said, “If—hypothetically speaking—I accidentally use the wrong product on a area. Or if I use the wrong sponge. Would that be bad?”

Wonwoo glanced at him. After a long pause, he concluded, “I’ll supervise.”

“I’m not a child. I can read labels, I was just speaking hypothetically.”

“I’d rather not take my chances.”

Junhui pursed his lip. He wasn’t actually upset, though, since at least that meant he could spend a little bit more time with Wonwoo. Even if it was spent washing blood.

In their driveway, Wonwoo grabbed the plastic bag with all the cleaning products and walked over to the truck. He began to explain how to use each one, again. After he finished with one, he would set it on the hood of the truck, then continue with the next. By the end of the lesson, all Junhui wanted to do was clean the blood away as best as he could, then drive the car through an automated car wash.

“Got it?” Wonwoo asked now, pulling him back to attention.

“Is it too late to request a trip the car wash?”

He rolled his eyes and checked his watch. “What time does your brother usually get home?”

Surprised, Junhui answered, “At least six.”

“Okay,” he nodded, looking around. “Two hours. I can do this.”

“What?”

But he was already moving, grabbing the bottles from the hood. “Hand me the keys, and go grab the water hose.” Guess he wasn’t going to just supervise anymore.

Without any comments, Junhui tossed him his key ring and jogged into the back yard to pull out the hose. By the time he had the water working, Wonwoo was already starting on the interior. A glance toward his car showed that he’d gotten the sponges and cloth from his trunk.

“Anything you want me to do?” Junhui asked through the open door.

Wonwoo threw him one of the smaller bottles. “Get in the front and start on the dashboard.”

“Aye aye, Cap’n,” Junhui saluted, and Wonwoo chuckled.

With two people working, they got done much faster than Junhui had imagined. Wonwoo went to inspect the exterior. Since it didn’t have anything worse than a light layer of dust and they were short on time, he decided that a good rinse, followed by a coat of polish was good enough. They closed all the doors and windows, then Wonwoo proceeded to spray water from top to bottom. While he hosed down the dirt around the wheels and inside the truck bed, Junhui went to fetch drying cloths from the linen closet.

The two worked together to wipe off every single drop. Once finished, Junhui sprayed on the polish for Wonwoo to buff the paint. Seeing the amount of work, Junhui had to wonder how he could’ve pulled this whole thing by himself. His contribution of labor paled in comparison to Wonwoo, and yet his arms already felt like noddles. Obviously, if Wonwoo hadn’t been here, Minghao’s car would have been through an automatic car wash, followed by having professionals clean the inside.

“Hmm,” Wonwoo checked the time afterward. “Ahead by almost twenty minutes.”

The car was spotless, its green paint shiny under the afternoon sun rays. Most importantly, the back seat didn’t look like the scene of a murder any longer, which had been the whole point.

“Now that you’ve helped with the labor,” Junhui said, “you gotta let me pay for half of all this stuff.” He pointed at the bottles standing on the porch.

Looking over at him, Wonwoo shook his head. “I said I’d supervise, didn’t I? Consider it a training session.”

Junhui laughed. “Okay, if you insist.” Bending down, he put the bottles inside the bag again for easy transportation. “Thank you.”

Wonwoo smiled. “Sure. Just don’t tell your brother about it.” He gestured toward the front door. “You should head in. I’ll see you later.” He turned to go, and Junhui struggled with the bottles.

“Wait!” In his panic, he reached out and tugged at Wonwoo’s shirt. When the latter turned around in surprise, Junhui stammered, “D-do you want to come inside?”

“I don’t want to impose, especially when your brother is due soon.”

“Oh.” Doing his best not to let the disappoint color his voice, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you later, then.”

Wonwoo. “Mm.”

He agreed, and yet he kept standing there. Curious, Junhui looked up at him. “Why aren’t you leaving?”

“You’ll need to let go of my shirt first,” he chuckled.

“Huh?” With a gasp, Junhui released his grip. “I’m sorry!” Red faced, he looked anywhere but in Wonwoo’s general direction. “You can go now.”

“Can I really?”

Junhui nodded, still refusing to look at him.

“You look like you want to say something to me, though. Am I wrong?”

Wonwoo wasn’t wrong, and Junhui hated how easily the older could read him sometimes. He wanted to ask for a kiss, but Wonwoo made it so difficult.

He shook his head in response to the question.

Wonwoo turned him around by the shoulders, expression smug as he gazed at him. “Well?” he arched a brow. “Won’t you say it?”

The younger pouted. “You know, don’t you? Why are you being mean?”

Flashing a grin, he said, “I _am_ a demon, remember? Besides, what did I say about exposing yourself to confrontations? This is good practice. C’mon. As you’ve established, I already know. What’s so bad about it?”

“Me having to say it,” he grumbled out.

“Alright, I’ll be nice.”

At that comment, Junhui’s heart leapt, and he looked up.

Only to be sorely disappointed.

“You don’t have to tell me. I’ll just go back.”

“Wonwoo!”

“What?”

He groaned and squirmed in place, rubbing at his arms. Red-faced, he stared at the ground, voice tiny as he said, “I want a kiss.”

Wonwoo cradled his face, eyes tender. “Was that really so hard?”

Junhui was about to protest that _yes, it was!_ But Wonwoo chuckled and gave him what he wanted, so Junhui forgot all about his grievances.

 

Later that evening, Minghao came back quite surprised to see his beloved truck looking so close to its original condition. Even though Wonwoo told Junhui to not speak of his assistance, it just seemed unfair to claim all the credit. So he mentioned the fact that Wonwoo bought the supplies and stuck around to help him. Minghao didn’t appear upset, just pleasantly surprised.

In turn, Minghao surprised him. He told his brother of Mrs. Ginger’s nail salon getting vandalized. The poor lady, after working practically year-round, a couple weeks ago, she finally agreed to close shop and go on vacation with her children and their spouses. She returned this afternoon, apparently, and wanted to swing by the shop to drop off a few items. Little did she know that she would face such a disaster.

Whoever broke into her shop left the window display area perfectly intact, so that no one from the outside would be able to tell. In fact, the vandal didn’t do anything to draw too much attention, but damage was still significant. They cut off all the electrical cords into tiny pieces, filled up all the nail polish bottles with gasoline, removed all the motor inside the spa chairs, and destroyed the UV light bulbs inside the suntan machines. The police were currently investigating the case, although no suspects came to mind. Mrs. Ginger was among the nicest people in town.

The news disheartened him. If someone could do something so horrible to a woman as sweet and kind as Mrs. Ginger, he wasn’t sure what this world was turning into.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

“Junnie, you and Hansol will have big responsibilities tonight,” Soonyoung announced, looking at him and the younger boy as he spoke.

The two nodded.

It was Tuesday morning, and the committee members along Junhui were sitting in front of the stage at the Festival. The Date Auction was to be held tonight, and they expected a good turnout. Apart from Soonyoung and Chan, they had added four more people in addition to their previous list. Seungkwan was originally supposed to be part of the lineup, but he decided on MC-ing instead.

Glancing at the list now, Junhui counted ten names; this included the couple that thought dating other people might save their current relationship. He hoped to see things turn out well for those two.

Anyway, all day yesterday, the boys got the bidding paddles glued, printed out name tags, and set up sort of an attendance sheet so they could keep track of how much each person was bid for. Now they were getting briefed about the rundown, and how the deals were to be sealed afterward. Because of this event, Junhui hadn’t been showing up at the Jeon House. He did mention the auction to Wonwoo, and even invited him to come see. However, as Junhui knew he would, he politely declined.

“Such as what?” Junhui asked Soonyoung now.

“Signing people in, giving them a paddle, distributing pamphlets, keeping track of who bids how much for each person.”

“Okay, how are we going to take care of the money?” Hansol wanted to know.

Chan answered, “We’ll be accepting credit cards, checks, and cash. We just gotta make sure that if there’s cash, it needs to be put inside a sealed envelope with the names of both the bidder and contestant, as well as the amount written.”

Hansol made a small note in his notebook. “Are we supposed to facilitate the dates, or are we letting the participants decide on their own?”

“Up to everyone, I guess,” Seungkwan shrugged. “I mean, I know some people like to do it among themselves, but some might need a little help. Especially if the bidder’s been pining for one of the contestants without actually knowing him or her.” Stretching his arms over his head, he added, “In that case, you guys can probably try to get them to talk to each other for a few seconds, see if things click. If they do, then you’re fine. If not, some facilitation might be needed.”

“Or if one of them is like super shy,” Soonyoung interjected. “Might be a good idea if you could stick around and break the ice for them.”

This was starting to sound like a dating service, but Junhui kept his comments to himself. If people enjoyed the experience, let them. Who was he to judge? He had enough duties to keep him busy tonight. Although, he did wonder what Seokmin might think about Soonyoung being put on stage tonight.

“Is there a start up price?” Junhui asked, “Or will we let the audience decide themselves?”

They all thought for a second, then Chan said, “I think we should have a definite number first. It’s gonna be bad enough that some are going to be ‘worth’ more at the end of the night. Just imagine some jerk call out, ‘I’ll pay a quarter for kid number one!’ Whoever participant number one is, they’re gonna be hurt even if they know it’s a stupid joke.”

“Yeah, but so would the jerk if I were the participant!” Seungkwan exclaimed with a raised fist. “I don’t care what I’m wearing, I will find him afterward and give him a piece of my mind.”

“There goes another reason for setting a fixed number as the start up,” Soonyoung noted. “Let’s try to avoid as many injuries as possible this time.”

The boys all turned grim at that point, remembering the disaster of the Talent Show night. Soonyoung and Junhui shared a look, secretly hoping that Hana really did turn a leaf and no longer wished to steal people’s emotions.

“I’m thinking… seventeen dollars,” Hansol suggested.

“Seventeen?” Seungkwan repeated. “Why?”

Hansol shrugged. “That’s all I have in my pocket right now. Seems like a good arbitrary number.”

They all laughed, but went with it anyway.

“Is there a goal we should set for ourselves?” Junhui wondered. “How much are we planning on raising?”

“Well,” Chan began, “I was thinking that it might be a good idea to donate what we make today directly to Mrs. Ginger. Her insurance is covering for most of the damages, I believe, but she won’t be able to pay for the rest on her own anytime soon.” He looked through a note he made to himself. “If we want to match what the insurance isn’t going to pay her, we would need to raise about five thousand.”

“Whoa,” Junhui exclaimed. “That means each contest would have to make an average of five hundred. I’m not usually the rain cloud, but I’m not sure we can do that with the crowd we have.”

“Yeah,” Seungkwan agreed, “We need to be realistic.”

“What about the silent auction?” Soonyoung recalled. “That’ll take place three hours before the date auction. We’ll get money from all those art pieces and gift cards and who knows what else people are offering up.”

There was some discussion and chatter about it for a moment, then they decided that they should try to get at least a thousand for the silent auction, and two thousand for the dating one. That seemed like a more reasonable goal, if not still rather ambitious. Three thousand was not the full amount, but it was at last something to help her out.

Nearing two that afternoon, they set out the display tables around the stage area with the items that people had donated. For each, they attached a clipboard and put out pens. Junhui liked silent auctions. It required very little interaction, thus less arguing. There would be a start up price written on the clipboard, and when a person was interested, he or she would write down their name, and the amount they were willing to pay. The next person would come along and increase the asking price. It’d go on until time was called.

While that went on, the contestants slowly showed up for rehearsal. Thankfully, it wasn’t anything too challenging. Merely a rundown of where to stand, how to introduce oneself, and little details. Before they went onstage, the participants came to sign-in with him and Hansol, offering fun facts and trivia about them so that the boys could give the audience some background information about everyone.

As the time neared, the boys sent the dates off to get changed into their better clothes. Hansol and Junhui went to wrap up the silent auction, giving people there an additional five minutes to complete their browsing. Collecting the clipboards and the items, they returned everything to the main tent. As Hansol read off whom had bought what and at what price, Junhui wrote down their names and asking price on a sticker and attached it to the item. In the end, they determined that they would get eleven hundred. A minor miracle.

By the time the auction began, the seats were packed. Maybe it was the novelty of the event, or maybe people didn’t have anything better to do, or perhaps, they were interested in dates. The committee should’ve gotten a survey going just to see what the majority of the audience was here for. Anyway, the lights on stage began to turn on, and applause exploded when Seungkwan walked on stage as the MC.

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!” he began with a broad smile. “Thank you for joining us at our first date auction! I’m sure you are as excited as I am to see these beautiful people!” Cheers from the audience proved his point. “Before we start, though, I will just walk you through how it’ll work out. Each date will start out with a baseline of seventeen dollars. We’ll go in order of their number. Each bid will increase by twenty every time, unless you would like to make it more. Alright, let’s see these beautiful people!”

Applause welcomed the ten dates, filing out on the stage, then dispersed to the different spots as discussed during rehearsal. Everyone dressed to their best, although a couple girls looked like they were ready for the prom rather than a regular date. Nathan, the guy whose relationship was on the rocks, was either really miserable, or had the lights shining in his face, Junhui couldn’t really tell, but the guy was frowning a great deal.

They opened the event with Jasmine, Nathan’s girlfriend. She was a brunette with long, black hair, coifed in a stylish, yet casual curls. She bowed slightly as Seungkwan introduced her likes and dislikes, and hobbies. A few hoots came from somewhere in the back. Now Nathan definitely did not look pleased. Junhui was afraid he might jump whoever just whistled when Jasmine started to speak about what her ideal date would entail. Her innocent looks, yet sultry mannerism did it for some guys. Hansol and Junhui had a hard time keeping track of who bid how much due to the speed it was going. In the end, she raked in seventy-seven. A a pretty good start!

Next came Christine, an upcoming sophomore at the community college. She was sporty, with dark hair and a toned body. Apparently, she was in the swimming team at school. The bidding this time wasn’t as frenzied as for Jasmine, which worked out great for Hansol and Junhui as they had to keep up with all the raised paddles. Ultimately, a guy in his early twenties won a date with her for fifty-seven.

Chan was number three. Most of the town knew him, so it didn’t take very much to work the crowd. That and the fact that he was known as the local dance prodigy, with great talent and charisma. Seungkwan let his bias show a bit during this segment, whipping the crowd into a frenzy even more intense than for Jasmine. He spiced it all up with a short Q&A with Chan, which ended in a lot of laughter and many pounding hearts in the audience. And it showed, because Chan amassed nearly two hundred.

Following Chan came Nathan. From the expression on his face, he was about to give Jasmine some payback. Nathan, to be completely clear and honest, was a pretty boy. Plus, he could play guitar. A true high school crush. All the girls who had been pining over him in the past finally got their chance, and they were now going ballistic. Lust can do a lot, especially when money could solve the issue, which worked great to the committee’s advantage. Some high school senior (and her friends) won him for a hundred and seven. _Wow._ Jasmine, to say the least, was not happy. Junhui hoped their plan of “dating in a safe and controlled environment” wasn’t going to backfire.

Junhui wasn’t familiar with the next couple contestants, but one guy scuba dived for a hobby, while the other had a major in photography. Their dates would definitely have fun. They both brought in a eighty-seven each.

When Jinsu came on, it was a party. Junhui wasn’t too knowledgeable about her dating life, but he knew that she had quite a lot of admirers, as well as lots of ex-boyfriends with broken hearts. A slight argument broke off between the bidders, apparently one of them was an ex. Seungkwan had to diffuse the situation, and Hansol asked security to be on standby, just in case. Anyway, in the end, no one was hurt, and Jinsu made almost as much as Nathan, at ninety-seventeen.

The boy who came after Jinsu seemed almost anticlimactic, but it was sweet how he seemed to already have an admirer in the crowd. Junhui had to wonder if the winning bidder didn’t plan the entire thing out, because he even brought flowers. Mr. Romantic contributed forty-seven.

According to the list, Soonyoung would come up very soon, and Junhui wasn’t going to miss that for anything. So while Seungkwan introduced the next person—a violist—Junhui ran to replenish their supplies. He came back just in time to hear, “And sold, for ninety-seven!”

At last came Soonyoung’s turn. He had volunteered to go last so that the other participants wouldn’t feel as nervous. As usual, Soonyoung portrayed himself as confident and his charms showed. With his family business, Soonyoung was also well-known by Diamond Creek and the neighboring towns. Not to mention his incredible and award-winning dancing. The crowd was so loud, Hansol and Junhui couldn’t help joining in on the screaming. The bidding was going well for him, which was only normal considering it was Kwon Soonyoung: cute, spunky, attractive, and intelligent, yet still very sweet. Even as Junhui kept tally of the bids, he was looking for Seokmin, hoping he’d pop up and sweep his boyfriend off of his feet. Unfortunately, it seemed that it was a working evening for the young deputy. At the end of the round. Soonyoung collected a huge sum of two hundred and forty-seven.

While Seungkwan thanked everyone and tried to get people to donate even more with tips and the likes, Hansol and Junhui got together to do some quick math to figure out how much they’d made tonight. They had high hopes; however, when the numbers came out, the boys sighed in disappointment. They were short on their goal. Even with the silent auction included, they were eight hundred away.

Seeing them finishing up, Seungkwan walked to the edge of stage and spoke to them. “Do you have an actual number yet?” he needed to know how much more he’d need to beg the audience.

“Yeah, but it’s not very good,” Hansol said. “We’re eight hundred away from our goal.”

“Got it.” Seungkwan ran back to the middle of the stage in front of the contestants who were also waiting to hear if there would be any more changes. “I have just been told by our fabulous committee that we have done a good job with an amount of eleven hundred! Wooh! Good job, everyone!” Cheers and claps went into the air. “However!” he shouted over the noise. “It is still eight hundred away from our best! Come on, folks, this is for a good cause. We’re helping poor Mrs. Ginger against the bas—” he caught himself in time before cussing at a family event. “We need to help Mrs. Ginger after some awful person vandalized her shop.”

The crowd somewhat agreed, which drove him forward with the money collecting. “Alright, here’s what I’m gonna do. I will give you one last chance at these beautiful dates. Junhui and Hansol, can you please tell me what the final price of the date was for each contestant!”

Seungkwan went to each person, announcing the number the boys called out. ThenMC Boo repeated them one more time, before round two.

“Anyone here got a better offer for all or any of these wonderful dates? Remember, it doesn’t have to be a romantic date. It can be a nice hang out buddy, or simply someone to take along to a movie too embarrassing or scary to go see by yourself. Do I have any offers?”

“I’ll take _you_ out, Seungkwan!” someone shouted from the crowd, causing all of them to laugh.

Seungkwan was a good sport, truly trying to get the money for the cause. “Alright, sure! How much?”

“Whoa!” the portion of the audience where the guy sat erupted into slight chaos. There were some taunts and some responses. Ultimately, one of them said, “How about a hundred?”

“No way, sir!” Seungkwan laughed with good humor. “Multiply that by eight and we have a deal!” He winked.

Junhui elbowed Hansol and giggled. “You should bid, too.”

The younger laughed. “I told you, I only have seventeen dollars.”

The whole audience had fun with them as they discussed it over. Because Seungkwan was so charming and resourceful, he managed to collect about a hundred just from having the contestants and himself perform fun little challenges. It was a very playful atmosphere, like a game show, but the money would end up in the hands of a good person. Junhui was so amused by everything that when the next person shouted above the crowd, he was completely taken off-guard. And from the way the entire audience, as well as the people on stage, completely went silent, he’d say they were _all_ in shock.

“A thousand dollars!”

After the initial moment of shock subsided, quiet chatter started up, and people looked around them to see who had made such an extravagant offer. All Junhui could tell was that it came from a guy. The man in question began to approach the stage, and people parted so he could pass. He was tall from what Junhui could see.

“Are you... serious?” Seungkwan asked, unsure if this was a prank.

“Oh, yes. I am completely serious,” the bidder said, finally close enough to the stage that one of the spotlights could find him. When he came into view in the center of the light, Junhui’s eyes widened. Immediately, his heart began to race, suddenly making his palms clammy. Blood rushed through his ears, and momentarily, he couldn’t register anything other than the person standing in the spotlight.

The latter looked away from Seungkwan’s shocked expression, and set his gaze in Junhui’s direction. It was as if he could see the frozen boy as clearly as if he had a spotlight on him, as well.

As the bidder spoke the next statement, Junhui’s blood turned to ice. “I am willing to pay a thousand dollars for a date with Wen Junhui.”

He wanted to make his legs work. He wanted to run and hide. To do anything. But like a stunned deer in headlights, he could only stand there helplessly as Park Jaehyun made his way to him. The spotlight that followed him soon shone on Junhui and encircled the both of them in the bright space.

Jaehyun grinned at him. None of his good looks could help dispel the darkness swirling in the pit of his eyes. His voice was taunting. “Of course, it’s up to you.”

Everyone was watching, waiting for Junhui’s response.

It was no secret how Jaehyun felt about him; now what was he doing offering to pay a thousand dollars to go out on a date with him? Was he making this outrageous proposal expecting Junhui to refuse? Which would prompt the town to resent him even more because they would see it as Junhui being unreasonable for being unwilling to put aside personal matters to go on one date with Jaehyun in exchange for his contribution?

His eyes wandered from the audience up to the stage to find Soonyoung. His friend couldn’t speak out loud, but his brows were furrowed, and he shook his head.

Was refusing really okay? What if the townspeople went after Hyejin and Minghao next? What if they boycotted Minghao’s garage because of this?

Besides, it was just one date, right? The was also the chance that Jaehyun was bluffing. In that case, Junhui could finally get the upper-hand. And the committee would get the money. Moreover, everyone would know about the date, and if Jaehyun decided to hurt or kill him, Junhui would have witnesses, wouldn’t he? A lot of frightening and horrible scenarios filtered through his mind, each worse than the last, as if to warn him. But Junhui pushed them away. _It’s going to be okay. I can do this._

He took in a deep breath, fisting his shaking hands at his sides. Staring right into Jaehyun’s cold eyes, Junhui nodded. “Okay.”

His grin didn’t falter, instead it widened.

Now Junhui was truly scared. If imminent humiliation wasn’t what Jaehyun was looking for, then what he was planning to do?

“Wonderful!” he exclaimed. Deliberately, he leaned forward, brushing his arm against Junhui’s side in order to reach for something on the table behind him. “Why don’t you write it down and add it to the count now?” he suggested, handing Junhui a pen and clipboard.

With stiff fingers, Junhui took the items and jotted his name and money down. Jaehyun took it away, returning it where it came from. Somehow, his hand found itself around Junhui’s waist, pulling him close to him. The gesture was so weird, so unexpected, Junhui couldn’t even react. Jaehyun moved his face next to his ear.

“We are going to have _so much_ fun,” he whispered.

His mind spun back to what Minghao had said to him a few days ago: _you’re a good kid, and I know you have good intentions... Good intentions don’t always equate good choices._

What had Junhui gotten himself into?

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN!!! 😱😱😱 
> 
> did anyone expect him to show up? lol. yeahhhh... i don't think it's possible for jun to stay out of trouble 😅
> 
> speaking of trouble, junnie getting thirsty lololololol. he's still so shy about it, though. awwwww. and wonu enjoys it way too much. oh wells. they suit each other. 
> 
> oh, and if anyone is wondering what hyejin talked to wonu about: mainly, just tips about jun and how he tends to bottle everything up and doesn't like to burden other people with his troubles. and then she tried to talk to wonu about his "home issues" as 8jun referred to it. she just wants to be a good mom for everyone. 
> 
> BUT WHAT COULD THE ASSHOLE BE PLOTTING???? find out next time! hahahah
> 
> as always, thank you so much for reading! and thank you for being patient!  
> xoxoxo


	25. Make Things Right

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun goes on a date with Jaehyun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hellooooo~ i'm sorry, this chapter is ALSO late *sigh* but hey, it's nearly 13K, so hurray! hahaha
> 
> WARNING: crude and vulgar jokes in the second half of the chapter. it's nothing graphic, but if you're sensitive to sexual wording, then you might not like it. 
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> -

 

 

“What the hell were you thinking saying yes to him?” Soonyoung demanded an hour later.

After everything was cleaned up, all bidders and dates met, talked, and signed off on the money, the crowd dispersed. What happened with Jaehyun and Junhui became the elephant in the room. At least it was the case until the event finished, and Soonyoung walked to the parking lot with him.

Junhui was sitting on a bale of hay. “I don’t know,” he whispered, keeping his eyes on his shoes as he tried to pick up a piece of straw with his feet. “That the money would really help.”

_“Ugh!”_ Soonyoung groaned in exasperation, pacing back and forth in front of his friend. “Are a thousand dollars worth the chances of what he might do?”

“Well, I didn’t actually think he was serious,” he replied sheepishly. “I thought he was messing around, trying to ruin the event, so I called him out on his bluff.”

“I told you to refuse!” Soonyoung retorted. “It was too big of a gamble, anyway. Did you even think of the possibility that he’d take the opportunity to pull something nasty?”

Shrugging dejectedly, he lifted his helpless face. “Imagine if I had said no, though. Everyone would have seen it as me being selfish, refusing to participate like the rest of you. Worse when there was so much money involved. I…” He dropped his gaze, shoulders slumped. “I don’t want to be hated even more,” he whispered.

With a sigh, Soonyoung sat next to him and tugged him against his chest. “Jun…”

“Accepting his offer, I’ll have to endure his company for a few hours, but at least no one can criticize my mom or Hao or me.”

Patting his back in comfort, Soonyoung let out another sigh, anger evaporating. “So you’re really gonna go through with this?”

“I don’t really have a choice,” he shrugged sadly, sitting up to flick his hair out of his eyes. “We already took his check.”

The other boy leaned back on his hands, watching people mill about the parking lot, looking for their cars and heading home.

“What about you and Seokmin?” Junhui asked, glancing over at the younger, willing himself to change the subject.

“I’m sure he’ll be fine,” Soonyoung answered, waving the question away. “It’s not a real date. Besides, the guy who won the bid seemed nice, so I wouldn’t worry too much about _my_ safety, unlike someone I know.”

“Hoshi,” he called. He had to turn this conversation around before all this negativity buried them alive. “It’s gonna be okay.” Laughing, he pointed out, “Jaehyun isn’t dumb enough to take me somewhere and kill me. He’d be the prime suspect if anything happens to me.”

“I wasn’t thinking about him killing you,” Soonyoung said somberly. “Getting murdered is simple—you’re dead. What’s much worse is when the creep lets you live, but you wish that he hadn’t.” His words gave Junhui the chills despite the warm weather, and he looked at him. “We all know Jaehyun’s head is slightly unhinged. All I’m saying is that you have to make sure he takes you somewhere with people around. _Regular_ people, not just his friends.” Eyes suddenly bulging, he sat up and grabbed his friend by the arms. “What if he takes you into the woods and sets up some creepy ritual and sacrifices you to a demon or something?”

The irony of the scenario was too much, and Junhui burst into laughter. His body twisted from side to side as he struggled to catch his breath. Next to him, Soonyoung argued that it wasn’t funny at all.

At last, Junhui managed to calm down and wipe his tears. “I think you’re taking things a little too far. Jaehyun might arguably be crazy, but not _that_ crazy.”

Soonyoung narrowed his eyes and pursed his lip. “We didn’t think Cho Hana was anything more than a Queen Bee wannabe, either, and yet look what we found!”

That was a fair point, and Junhui had no retort to that. “Still, a demonic ritual seems a little too much.” Honestly, he wasn’t sure if they were both simply afraid of what Jaehyun _could_ do, rather than think logically about what he would do.

“Maybe, but I’d rather be safe than sorry,” Soonyoung told him. “Personally, I think Jaehyun takes advantage of his mother’s death and uses it as an excuse to be an ass. That, however, does not lessen his mean-streak. He might not cause you any permanent harm, but whatever he has planned is humiliating as best, or nasty and cruel at worst.”

Raising his arms high above his head, Junhui stretched and breathed out slowly, feeling drained. “I need a long and hot shower,” he mumbled. “Hopefully things will look better in the morning.”

Soonyoung opened his mouth to comment, but he was interrupted by someone coming up to them. They turned around to see Mrs. Ginger and her daughter escorting her.

“Hello, boys,” the middle-aged woman smiled.

“Hi, Mrs. Ginger,” they greeted in return. “What are you doing here?”

“Sabrina told me about what you were planning to do with the money you collected tonight,” she answered with a grateful smile, glancing at her daughter. “I wanted to personally thank you for your efforts. Your kind actions and the fact that you thought about me gave me hope that good people still exist in this world.”

Soonyoung and Junhui couldn’t help but smile back. The latter didn’t care about Jaehyun at that moment. Seeing how happy and thankful Mrs. Ginger was, his deal with him was completely worth it.

“What are you going to do about the shop now?” Soonyoung asked.

“The insurance is sending agents down to inspect the damages, then they will replace the furnitures and equipments. The front of the shop suffered the least, but the room in the back, where facials and manicures are done, has been completely destroyed. It’ll take a while to rebuild.”

“If you need help,” Junhui offered, “We’d be happy to lend a hand.”

Grinning, Mrs. Ginger nodded. “You’ve done more than your fair share, but I will keep the offer in mind. Thank you so much.”

A few rows of cars away, Sabrina’s husband was calling for them to get home. “Well,” she glanced back at them. “I guess it is time to go home. Do you kids need a ride?”

They shook their heads. “We biked here, thank you.”

The four of them said their goodbyes and wished each other a safe trip home. Eventually, it was just him and Soonyoung again, the echoes of the festival and its games behind them.

“You should’ve reminded me how good it feels seeing the fruits of your labor,” Soonyoung nudged his shoulder. Junhui chuckled.

“Come on, let’s go grab something to eat then head home,” he suggested after a couple minutes. Soonyoung agreed, and they returned to the fair.

 

That night, Junhui laid in bed, unable to sleep, staring up at the ceiling. Even though he had put on a brave front in front of his Soonyoung, he was still anxious. He tried to think it logically through. What was the worst thing that could happen? As he’d discussed with Soonyoung, Jaehyun wasn’t going to kill him, because then he wouldn’t have a target to throw his hate toward. Plus, he’d be caught for sure. Jaehyun may hate him with every fiber of his being, but he wasn’t going to risk jail time over it.

What worried Junhui and made his stomach churn was Jaehyun’s repressed anger and cruelty.

Screwing his eyes shut, he tried to push away the memories of that winter night in high school, but the images were so clear and vibrant. He could even feel the phantom pain radiating out of the back of his skull, the throb in his chest at the caustic words Jaehyun had thrown at him.

That time, however, was merely a fluke. Something Junhui wasn’t sure Jaehyun even recollected from his memory. No, the way he worked was by prolonged intimidation and verbal harassment. Junhui had had to deal with that long enough; he could handle it for the duration of that “date.”

In the back of his mind, a little voice warned that the only way he’d been able to bear the bullying all these years was due to his incredible group of friends and family. And by avoiding Jaehyun like the plague. Those two factors would not be granted to him, however, during their “date.” Would he really be okay?

Tossing to his side, Junhui shook his head and made himself think of happy thoughts in order to fall asleep.

 

 

When Junhui came to work at the Jeon House in the morning, he found Wonwoo in the kitchen. He was sitting on the floor, putting together the new cabinets. Standing by the doorway, Junhui noted that Wonwoo had already gotten one row attached to the wall. The ones underneath the sinks had also been upgraded. Leaning in the corner of the room were the new counter tops and a couple more boxes, still needing to be assembled. Wonwoo was engrossed in keeping the pieces leveled with each other as he tightened the screw, so he didn’t say anything when his volunteer entered. He set the drill down and grabbed another screw to insert into the next hole. Junhui waited until the drilling sound died down, before he bent over his shoulder to peek.

“Looking good!”

Chuckling, Wonwoo glanced back at him. “Thanks.”

“You have been a very busy bee,” Junhui commented, impressed. But then he put on his most severe expression and pointed an accusing finger, “While you should’ve been getting some rest.”

Wonwoo pretended to lunge at Junhui’s finger for a bite, then laughed at the squeak the boy let out in panic, hugging his hand.

“I told you. I heal fast. Moreover, I couldn’t sleep last night,” he replied, shrugging and going back to inspect his progress. “Thought I should get this house done at some point, considering it’s probably where I’m gonna end up having to live.”

His voice was light; there wasn’t any hint of regret or bitterness for the way things had turned out. Still, though, Junhui could feel the sadness in having to give up his past in such a harsh manner. It was one thing to find out your entire life had been based on lies; it was another to get kicked out of the only home you’ve ever known. Not only that, to be wrongfully seen and labelled as a traitor. It wasn’t fair, and Junhui felt upset for him. Of course he wanted Wonwoo away from such awful people, but not like this.

The two of them hadn’t really talked about what Wonwoo planned on doing now, seeing as in the eyes of the Elders, he no longer existed. Junhui wanted to ask about his mission and what would become of the Tarac River, but he was afraid of bringing up bad news while the older was still supposed to be recovering.

From the way Wonwoo picked up the cabinet and attached it to wall as if it were a mere cardboard box, though, it seemed that the older was practically completely healed.

“So you’re staying in Diamond Creek?” Junhui asked once all the noise died out. He won’t lie to himself and say the prospect of seeing Wonwoo everyday didn’t send a pleasant warmth through his chest.

“For a while,” he agreed, turning around to face him once he made sure the cabinet was fixed in place.

Careful not to step on any screw or tool on the floor, Junhui made his way to the kitchen sink, where Wonwoo leaned against.

“It’s not exactly the best place to live,” Junhui commented with a mock grimace, wrinkling his nose. “I mean, the town and the surrounding landscapes are beautiful, but the people...”

“True,” Wonwoo acknowledged with a smile, head cocked to the side to watch Junhui take a step closer until the tips of their shoes touched. The latter clasped his hands behind his back, swaying back and forth as he grinned.

Wonwoo continued with a smirk, “The people can all use some work in manners and personality.”

“Right!” Junhui giggled, “You should know something about that, Mr. Grumpy.” To make his point, he poked at the older’s chest.

With a soft laugh, Wonwoo grabbed his hand and pulled him in, arms resting comfortably around his sides, fingers laced at his back. “So how did the event go last night?” he asked casually. “I’m surprised you haven’t talked my ears off yet.”

Instead of laughing as Wonwoo probably expected him to, Junhui grimaced, his stomach twisting into knots.

Wonwoo frowned, the arms around him tensing instinctively. “What’s wrong? Did something happen again?” He was no stranger to the terrifying fiasco of the Talent Show, and he most likely thought of Hana.

Quickly reassuring him, Junhui shook his head. “No, nothing like that. It’s just…” He sighed, attention devoted to tracing invisible lines on Wonwoo’s gray t-shirt. “Things could have gone better,” he muttered.

He really didn’t want to discuss this with him, especially when he knew exactly how Wonwoo felt about Jaehyun. But he also knew that if he didn’t say it now, Wonwoo would eventually find out, and that won’t be pleasant. So he decided to take on the bandaid approach and get it over with in one swoop.

“The event itself was a success, though!” he said with genuine joy, glimpsing up briefly. “We had a good turnout and the auctions collected a good amount of money to help Mrs. Ginger.”

Wonwoo waited patiently for the rest, but his gaze bore holes in Junhui’s face.

“But at the end of the night, when Seungkwan tried to get the crowd to give us some more, um…” He cleared his throat, the words strung together in the sentence so absurd, he had a hard time getting them out. “J-Jaehyun stepped up and offered a thousand dollars...” He looked up, meeting the other’s gaze. His voice was so soft, he could hardly hear them himself. “He paid a thousand for a date with me.”

Wonwoo’s expression was a mix of confusion and disbelief, that soon turned into anger. His eyes darkened dangerously, his grip on the boy’s waist tightening. “You said you weren’t participating,” he growled out. “That you were helping behind the scenes. Why were you bid on? By that pathetic worm, no less.”

“I…” Junhui curled up against the solid chest, seeking the now familiar comfort that Wonwoo brought him. “It wasn’t supposed to happen. Jaehyun crashed the auction and took everyone by surprise with his outrageous offer.”

Despite the anger still radiating out of him in waves, Wonwoo hugged him. Still, his voice sounded like gravel as he asked, “And then what? Did people expect you to accept?” He pinched the boy’s chin and lifted his face to see him clearly. “Were you forced?”

“N-no. No one forced me. In fact, Soonyoung was really mad that I agreed—”

“You did _what?”_

Junhui flinched, eyes screwed shut and muscles tensing. He heard Wonwoo sigh heavily, a hand lifting to pat his head in what must be a reassuring gesture, but he could feel the repressed frustration and anger in the movements.

Keeping his hand on the nape of the boy, Wonwoo leaned in and spoke through clenched teeth against his hair. “You need to stop doing this. Be selfish for once.”

“I don’t want the people I care about to suffer because of me,” he whispered hesitantly, expecting Wonwoo to fly into a rage once more. “If I can shoulder the burden on my own and not let others get affected, I’ll do it.”

With another heavy and pained sigh, Wonwoo gathered him into his arms. “Please quickly develop a sense of self-preservation,” he pleaded. “This goes well beyond being a good person and lending a hand to people in need. This way of thinking is detrimental.”

“Wonwoo…”

“No, listen to me.” He pulled away just enough to cradle Junhui’s face, making it impossible for the latter to turn away. “You need to find a way to stop living your life for other people. Look at where you have ended up so far!”

Keeping eye contact and his voice soft, Junhui said, “Right here, with you.”

That answer caught him off-guard, but Wonwoo recovered quickly. “Right, what a fabulous journey it’s been.” He dropped his hands. When Junhui turned away to stare at a spot on the floor, he sighed. Soon, his fingers propped the boy’s chin up and made Junhui face him. “I’m sorry, kitten, it came out wrong.”

“I understand,” Junhui replied, tucking himself against his neck. “You’re just worried.”

Wonwoo grunted, anger still brewing under his well-composed expression.

Flickering his gaze up and seeing the older’s scowl and dark eyes, Junhui got on his tip-toes to kiss the furrow between his eyebrows away. The action was so unexpected, Wonwoo broke through the anger to stare at him in surprise. Junhui giggled.

“Fixed it!”

Unable to resist, he chuckled lightly and shook his head. “It’ll take more than that to fix my mood.”

“Like what?”

Looking down at him, his expression brightened, but the grin that split his face was more sinister than anything Junhui had seen. “Like annihilating the bastard. You can’t go on a date with him if he no longer exists.”

The boy’s eyes widened to the size of saucers as he gaped. “Wonwoo, no! You can’t!” As if it could possibly stop the demon, Junhui clung to him with all his might.

Wonwoo snorted out a laugh. “Relax, kitten. I’m kidding.”

“No, you’re not!” He did not lessen his grip. In fact, he was contemplating just hopping up and wrapping his legs around Wonwoo’s body, too, just for as an extra measure.

“Then wishful thinking,” he allowed. “Besides, killing him would be too merciful.”

Junhui shivered at the coldness of his words, so jarring to the warm embrace of his arms. Aside from the fact that murder was a crime, he didn’t want Wonwoo to get blood on his hands more than he already had, especially because of someone as twisted and insignificant as Park Jaehyun. He wanted Wonwoo to leave his violent past behind, to nurture the goodness in his heart and soul. He had to find a way to change the subject.

“What if we’re giving Jaehyun too much credit?”

“What do you mean?”

“He likes to make fun of me and say mean things, but he’s not the violent type.”

With a flat expression, Wonwoo recalled, “He slammed your head against a wall.”

“But that was different! He wasn’t acting like himself, so it doesn’t count. I’m just saying. The whole town knows about what he did last night. He’s not going to risk getting himself into trouble by doing anything harmful to me. So really, it can’t be that much worse than what he’s already done in the past.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Wonwoo said warily. “People are unpredictable, Junnie. Especially when they believe you have taken away someone they love. He might not be conscious enough to even realize what he is doing, and before soon, it’ll be too late. Not all criminals are logical thinkers.”

“You know, you’re really good at scaring me, even now.” He pouted.

Chuckling, Wonwoo leaned forward and rested his forehead on his. “Good. Call off the date.”

“I can’t,” Junhui said. “We already took his money. Besides, the town will dislike me even more if they knew I’d refused to do it for Mrs. Ginger.”

“What did I just tell you about living your own life?” he asked, gritting his teeth. Wonwoo wasn’t angry with him, just frustrated; Junhui knew that, so he didn’t argue. The latter stared back at him, mute. Sighing, Wonwoo muttered, “I don’t want to leave you alone with him.”

“But I won’t be alone with him!” Junhui exclaimed. “I mean, we haven’t discussed the details yet, but whatever happens, I’ll make sure it’ll take place in a very public space, with people around.”

Wonwoo still didn’t look convinced, so Junhui added, “Minghao also made me download this GPS app on my phone, so he’ll know exactly where I am on the day of if anything were to happen. Which it won’t!”

Scratching the short hair at the back of Junhui’s nape, Wonwoo mused, “I really don’t understand how your family and friends do it. You bring me so much anxiety.”

Junhui burst out laughing at the comment. “Hao says I make him worry a lot, too. That’s one of the things he writes on my birthday cards every year. But I guess that’s just part of my charm~” He giggled.

That brought a small grin to Wonwoo’s face as he gazed at the boy in his arms, a hand gently stroking his head.

“But to be fair,” Junhui added, “You make me anxious, too! But you’re still one of the best things that’s happened to me!”

Wonwoo returned the bright grin with a fond one of his own. “Yeah. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m truly grateful for what Taeseung and Mikyung did. More importantly, Ifinally understand why they broke away from the Clan. Why Taeseung chose to protect Mikyung.” Gently, he stroked a thumb over Junhui’s pink cheek.

“It took me a long time to realize what I was missing, and where I went wrong.” Pausing, he stared into the boy’s eyes for a long time, as if trying to read his thoughts and feelings. “Thank you for braving the frost and slaying the monster.”

There were really no accurate way to describe the joy and ecstasy that his words evoked in him. Junhui knew it took a lot for Wonwoo to say that much, especially when these emotions were so new and foreign to him. But that simply made it more genuine and real. There were no fancy poetry or clever phrases to woo him. Wonwoo spoke as he felt.

Smiling, Junhui shook his head. “I didn’t kill anything; I just treated you the way everyone deserves to be treated. The change was up to you. The only way changes can stay permanent is if they were made voluntarily.”

“You think I did it voluntarily?” Wonwoo asked, arching a brow.

“Didn’t you?”

“Not the way I see it. You get the blame for what happened to me,” he teased, and they laughed.

“I’ll accept the credit!”

 

Eventually, they got to work and finished assembling the kitchen furniture, and mounted them evenly around the room. Junhui hadn’t noticed before, but Wonwoo had painted the walls at some point, and replaced the old fridge with a new one. The stove, Wonwoo informed him, was currently sitting in the basement, waiting to be brought in.Among the unopened boxes, Junhui noticed a microwave, along with a toaster oven and rice cooker.

Cocking his head to the side, he drummed his fingers on top of the nearest box. “Do you eat food?” he blurted out.

Wonwoo paused his task to look back at him, eyebrow arched. “That question again?”

“Oh,” he laughed. “I mean, human food.”

“I can,” Wonwoo shrugged. “I don’t find the taste particularly appetizing, but if need be, I’ll survive.”

“Then how come you bought all these?” He tapped the rice cooker for emphasis. “Can’t just be for decoration, right?”

Flickering his gaze from the small appliances to settle on Junhui, he said, “I didn’t buy them for me to use.”

The boy blinked, slowly coming to realize what he meant. “Oh.” Warmth spread to his cheeks as he laughed into his hands. “Thank you.”

“Mm.” Walking past him, Wonwoo patted his head. “Put them wherever you find convenient for use.”

Later that afternoon, while Junhui cleaned around the remodeled kitchen, and Wonwoo went to dispose of the empty boxes and trash, the former took a peek at all the new appliances. Everything was so shiny and sparkling. All that was left was the oven. He opened the fridge to check if it were cold yet. Both produce drawers were filled with lemons and limes. Chuckling quietly, Junhui examined the glass shelves, seeing nothing other than bottled water. He supposed this fridge wouldn’t have much of a job, aside from storing drinks and citruses. Although, he hoped that he’d be using them for lemonade more than to clean potential wounds.

The wheels of the cart rolled onto the room, and Junhui went around to help him move the stove into place. “I see you’ve been stocking up on important things in the fridge,” he commented as they fit the appliance between the counter tops and against the wall.

Wonwoo laughed, pulling the cart out from underneath. “Gotta be prepared in case you tripped over this stove, too.”

“Heyyy…” Junhui stuck out his tongue.

Wonwoo just laughed, going around to attach the pipes and turn on the gas. Once he was out from the back, they pushed it against the wall some more, then tried the knobs. All four worked fine; blue flames whooshed to life.

After another round of sweeping and cleaning, they went out onto the porch to take a break. It was almost time for Wonwoo to drive him home. Junhui pulled out the list of things to do and crossed off the kitchen.

“So that’s done. What are we attacking tomorrow?” he wondered, scanning the rest of bullet points. When Wonwoo didn’t reply, Junhui looked over. He hung his arm over the younger’s shoulder, but his eyes were directed forward, distracted as he gazed into the tree line of the woods. “Hey,” Junhui tugged his shirt, “What’s the matter?”

Snapping out of his daze, Wonwoo blinked and took in a deep breath. He shook his head. “Nothing. Just… thinking.” After another pause, he elaborated, “Earlier, I told you that I was grateful for what Taeseung and Mikyung did,” he said, and Junhui nodded. “That I understood their motives.” He paused. “But that does make me a bad person?”

“What? What are you talking about?”

“I rejoice in my own peace and tranquility, while my people are still waiting for help. The help I was supposed to offer them. Instead, I let history repeat itself.” Gently, he pulled his arm away from Junhui to lean back on his palms. “The Elders lied and deceived me, but the rest of the village doesn’t deserve to die.”

For a moment, Junhui stayed mute, unable to come up with any pep talk or comforting speech. Wonwoo was stuck. Despite being lied to by the Elders, he had always maintained a sense of responsibility and duty toward his people. That was mainly how the Elders could manipulate and exploit him. Now that he had changed sides and acquired a deeper and broader array of emotions, those obligations only amplified. More than ever, he wanted to help his people. There lied the difference between him and Taeseung.

While Taeseung never looked back after he escaped with Mikyung, Wonwoo couldn’t do that. He had seen the damages, witnessed the consequences. He couldn’t bring himself to give up, regardless of his current status of banishment. However, there was one detail that Junhui hadn’t quite understood.

“How did the Healing Stones get placed on the riverbed?” he asked. “You mentioned that until relatively recently, the Alcaeusian people used to be nomadic. That means that they couldn’t have been close to that river all the time since they traveled. How did they survive before they got settled?”

The question gave him pause.

“Could Keegan and the others have made up this story as a wild goose chase? Just so that they could find out where the other half of the Crystal was located?” Junhui suggested.

Wonwoo shook his head slowly, his eyebrows furrowing. “No, I’ve seen the water work miracles,” he started. “And so have you, when you used it on my wound.”

Junhui nodded. “Right. But it’s still… odd.”

“Mm. And it works even faster on full Alcaeus members. Because Minsoo healed so slowly, one night we tried to apply some of the river water directly on her wrists and ankles. The cuts healed before our eyes. So whatever lies they may have told, that water does have incredible magical abilities.”

“Then how could the nomads have treated their sick and injured people?”

“They didn’t. The mortality rate was huge back then. Our population didn’t stabilize until relatively recently. Still, though. We’re missing a piece of the puzzle,” he muttered. “I know that my people settled into the region during Taeseung’s father’s leadership. Jeon Siyeon decided to take refuge close by to wait out the winter, which was harsher than the previous years. By dint of building and building, they eventually stayed put. That might be a factor as to why our colony survived to this day. Some clan members didn’t like the settlement, and they went to search for the other colonies that maintained the migrant roots. Over the years, we lost contact with them. As far as I know, we’re the only Alcaeusians left within a good radius.”

“Could it be possible that Siyeon’s colony stumbled upon the river and discovered its properties, and that might’ve factored in their survival and desire to stay there?”

“Yeah, it’s possible, I suppose,” he agreed. “But that doesn’t explain why the river began to drain after Taeseung left, unless he really took those Stones away.”

“How positive are you about the chain of events?” Junhui questioned. “No offense, but the Elders haven’t exactly been truthful.”

“The only absolute facts right now are that,” he numbered them off, “the river has healing abilities, and it’s emptying a little more every day. The Stones are real. As to how they came to be, and what role Taeseung and the rest play, it’s still ambiguous.”

“I see,” Junhui nodded, thinking it over. “Would Nyosha know anything about it?”

“From the way she had been speaking to me, I doubt she’d know the whole truth. The only reason she’s even connected into this is simply because Taeseung and Mikyung came to her. Otherwise, she’s just a witch minding her own business.”

Putting on a defeated face, Junhui pulled his legs to his chest. “Then I have no more suggestions.”

Smiling, Wonwoo sat up and made room for him to lean against his side. “Thanks for trying.”

“Kind of wish I could’ve tried harder, though.”

“It’s okay. Right now, we have a more imminent issue to discuss.”

“Which is?” Junhui asked, pulling away slightly to look at him.

Meeting his gaze, he gritted out, “Your ‘date’ with Jaehyun.” The smile he flashed was anything but happy.

“Oh.” Groaning, Junhui buried his face against the older’s chest. “Can we not talk about that?” he mumbled into his shirt.

“No.” Gently, Wonwoo steadied him to a sitting position. “You don’t have to pull off the brave and fearless act with me, _especially_ with me,” he emphasized. “I’ve seen you scared, and I’ve heard the way you speak about him. You don’t have to go through this.”

Right away, Junhui remembered the conversation he had shared with him the night Wonwoo came to his room. The latter had been so angry with him for not standing up to people like Jaehyun. Now he was telling him the complete opposite.

“Weren’t you the one who told me that I needed to confront my problems instead of avoiding them?” he asked quietly.

His eyes narrowed. “Not ones that are worth your welfare.”

“Look,” Junhui sighed, “I’ll take it as it goes, alright?” Wonwoo didn’t look any more satisfied, so he took his hand in his. “If you could challenge Keegan, I’m sure I can survive a date with Jaehyun. It’ll be okay.” He smiled, projecting all the positivity he could muster into the gesture.

It took Wonwoo another long minute to resign, sighing tiredly. He hugged him to his chest, propping his chin on the crown of the younger’s head. After a moment of comfortable silence, he asked, “Do you know how to use a knife?”

“Wonwoo!”

“I didn’t say to kill him. A single stab appropriately delivered would give you plenty of time to escape.”

“Oh, my god…” Junhui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. So he just face-planted onto the older’s face with a groan.

 

When Wonwoo drove him home that afternoon, an unfamiliar car was parked in the driveway. Hyejin was home, but Minghao’s truck was absent. For a second, Junhui thought that maybe Hyejin had a guest from the museum, or that Minghao took a spare car from the garage.

“I wonder who’s here.”

Wonwoo’s car slowed to a stop as he parked by the side of the barn. While Junhui unbuckled his seatbelt, the front door opened, and he looked over. His eyes widened in shock as he witnessed a scene he never imagined could even exist.

Smiling politely, his mother led Park Jaehyun out of the house, the two seemingly finishing up a conversation. To make matters even more unbelievable, Jaehyun wore a rather pleasant expression. Who was this imposter?

“What the heck is Park Jaehyun doing here?” he muttered. “Am I hallucinating?”

Junhui squinted and leaned closer to the glass, in hopes that it’ll clear up what he was seeing, but alas, the person speaking and _smiling_ at his mother did not morph into anyone else. He turned to his side, ready to ask Wonwoo for a second opinion, only to see the older scowling.

Setting his hands on the steering wheel, he observed the unexpected guest with contempt and revulsion. “So that’s him, huh?”

“Don’t kill him!” Junhui exclaimed.

Wonwoo snorted.

As Jaehyun scanned the yard, he noticed them and actually waved, grin still bright. Junhui felt so strange, he couldn’t help but squirm in his seat. He just wanted him to hurry up and leave, so he could run up and ask Hyejin what happened. Unfortunately, Jaehyun kept lingering by the porch, as if waiting for Junhui to come out.

“I think... he wants to talk to me,” Junhui said hesitantly, brows scrunched up in confusion. “I guess I should go see what he wants.”

“No.”

Wonwoo didn’t shout, but the vehemence of the refusal still jolted him.

“Um, we can’t just sit here forever, though,” he tried to joke. Except that by the look Wonwoo gave him, he could take a pretty good guess at what the former was thinking. With pink cheeks and an overheated body, he laughed it off. “I know you set up your kitchen with me in mind, but isn’t it a little too soon for me to move in?”

Throwing him another look, Wonwoo neither confirmed nor denied, choosing instead to glare at Jaehyun anew.

The younger put a hand over his flip flopping stomach and took in a deep breath.

“Junhui.” He looked up at the sound of his name. Jaehyun gestured at him, voice muffled through the glass. “Can we talk for a second?”

Instinctively, Junhui looked over at Wonwoo. The latter made no effort to hide his annoyance, a low growl emanating from his throat. After taking a moment to compose himself, he unlocked the doors. “Let’s go.”

“Ah! Wait for me!”

Contrary to what Junhui feared, Wonwoo did not, in fact, rush at Jaehyun and rip his throat out on the spot. Instead, he escorted Junhui silently, a steady hand on the small of his back in comfort and encouragement. When they got to where Jaehyun stood waiting, Wonwoo gave his waist a gentle squeeze, then pulled away to continue up the porch steps by himself to give the two a false sense of privacy. It wasn’t that Wonwoo wanted to eavesdrop. He simply didn’t trust nor like Jaehyun.

On his way to the small sitting area of the porch, he purposefully walked straight at Jaehyun, forcing the latter to dodge. Not fast enough, though, as he still received a robust shoulder slam.

“Excuse me,” Wonwoo spit out offhandedly over his shoulder.

Although he tried to hide it, Jaehyun still winced, rubbing the sore spot. “Ah. Sorry.”

Junhui could only stand mute and frozen as the confrontation unfolded, wanting nothing more than to find a good hiding place. He followed Wonwoo’s strong back with his gaze, barely noticing Jaehyun putting on his friendliest expression.

“I’m glad I caught you today,” Jaehyun said, pulling Junhui out of his daze.

“R-right. Um, what are you doing here?”

Seeing him in broad daylight after their interaction the previous night at the Festival, he appeared different. The way he stood and watched Junhui now didn’t seem so cocky and condescending. For once, there was no underlying anger brewing below the easy grins and remarks. But then again, Junhui had trouble believing he could truly get rid of all the hostility. Maybe he was just a very good actor. For that reason, Junhui remained on his guard. A furtive look toward Wonwoo gave him an approving nod, validating his reasoning.

“I came to let your mother know about last night,” Jaehyun answered. “Taking in account our past, I thought it would be nice to come and reassure her that her son will be perfectly safe with me.”

A chill ran through him, but Junhui suppressed it. “You told her that?”

“Isn’t that what you’ve all been worried about?”

Choosing not to answer that, Junhui wanted to know something else. “Why are you doing this, exactly?”

“I want to make things right.”

“What does that mean?” he asked warily. _An eye for an eye_ was the first thing that popped into his head. Nervously, he looked over Jaehyun’s shoulder toward Wonwoo again. The latter had his brows drawn, attention pointed at the guest.

“My mom’s birthday is approaching,” Jaehyun replied, and Junhui winced. “And I know she… thought fondly of you.” He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “Let’s just say I want to show her that I am capable of letting go of the grudge for one night.” Some of the familiar antagonism surfaced now, only he reined it in. “For one night, let’s just pretend _this_ ,” he gestured at the space between them, “doesn’t exist.”

Until now, Junhui didn’t believe that Jaehyun was even capable of thinking about such sentimental things, much less act on them. He’d always imagined that Jaehyun would come to hate him until the day either one of them died. With him suggesting this temporary truce, he showed himself to be not quite the unrepentant bully Junhui saw him as all these years. That he could forego his own issues with Junhui in regard of his mother’s birthday were she still alive showed growth.

“Unless you have a problem with that,” Jaehyun added when Junhui didn’t respond.

He shook his head. “No, no. It’s… It’s really nice of you to do that for her.”

Shrugging, Jaehyun shoved his hands into his front pockets. “Dinner on Friday night works? Say, seven o’clock.”

“Okay, it’s fine. But where… exactly?”

“A restaurant in Clemester—Smile Flower. My mom used to like taking me there for birthdays.”

Junhui nodded somberly, head bowed. “I’m sorry.”

He sighed. “Whatever. There’s no point in that anymore.” The cracks in his well-constructed mask of civility were starting to show. Obviously, he was getting progressively more fed up with Junhui. “I’ll see you in a few days.” Not waiting for him to reply, Jaehyun walked to his car and drove away without looking back.

Junhui’s heart tugged gently at Wonwoo’s nearness. A couple seconds later, the older tucked him against his side. He wound an arm around the boy’s waist, and Junhui nuzzled into the crook of his shoulder.

“You okay?”

He nodded. “Yeah.”

“Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

Glancing up at him, Junhui said honestly, “If I were to refuse now, after hearing the reason behind this strange whim, _I_ ’d be the horrible person. Something tells me that this outing will push his limits and exhaust his tolerance for me. That in turn will probably give me a few Jaehyun-free weeks around town. ”

Worry was etched onto Wonwoo’s expression as he said, “He could hardly handle afive-minute conversation with you. How is he supposed to endure a full dinner?”

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

“Why can’t I just wear some slacks and a dress shirt? And a blazer, since it’s supposed to be fancy?” Tired and anxious, Junhui laid back onto his bed and draped his arms over his face.

“You’re going to dinner, not a funeral,” Soonyoung called out from across the room, rummaging through the dresser.

“Might as well,” the other boy muttered. He pulled his black cat plushie to his chest and burrowed against it.

“I will find you something to wear that will shut him up,” his friend vowed, mere seconds before exclaiming, “Do you own nothing but t-shirts and hoodies?”

Junhui groaned. “Maybe we should have gone to Mingyu and Minghao.”

“They’re busy,” Soonyoung reminded him. “With any luck, Mingyu will finally perk up the courage and confess verbally instead of giving Minghao puppy-dog eyes every single minute of the day.”

Junhui agreed whole-heartedly. His brother deserved someone who would love him unconditionally, without smothering him. And Mingyu was the perfect guy, objectively speaking. Even his clumsy nature was cute. It was so frustrating watching from the sidelines, he had considered many times meddling. In the end, though, he decided to give them time and space to figure things out. They’d been best friends for so long, no one knew themselves as well as each other.

“I saw them holding hands the other day.”

“But they’re _always_ holding hands.” Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “That’s not news. Anyway, where do you keep your performance outfits?”

With a start, Junhui lifted his head. “I can’t wear those! They’re too flashy.”

“That’s the point. I want him to go blind when he sees you. Now tell me before I turn everything upside down.”

Soonyoung had come over early this afternoon in order to help him get ready for his torture tonight. Despite the courageous front Junhui had put on mere days ago, now that the time was approaching, he felt the urge to hide under his bed and not come out ever again. He was fretting the impending event. Now they had about an hour before Jaehyun would show up. Junhui wanted to throw up.

“If it weren’t for the fact that Seokmin is sick, we would have tagged along with you,” Soonyoung told him as he threw on the bed several hangers with silk shirts of different colors. “Without Jaehyun knowing, of course. And then, the second he tries something dirty, Seokmin can jump out and arrest him!”

The visual of that scenario was so extreme, Junhui burst into giggles and rolled around on the bed.

“Stop! You’re getting everything wrinkled.” He swatted at his butt. “Move!”

“Sorry, sorry. And thank you for coming over when you should be looking after Seokmin.”

Soonyoung waved the issue away. “It’s just a cold, and he sleeps most of the day because of the meds. I’ll go over to his house later. Now get dressed.”

Sitting up, Junhui pouted. “Do I really have to?”

“Moon Junnie.”

He whined and faked his sobs against Soonyoung’s chest.

 

Afterward, when Junhui put on his socks, Soonyoung commented with glee, “You look so pretty, I cannot wait to see him foam at the mouth.” He snickered. “Show him no mercy!”

 

Junhui laughed. He knew his friend was being nice, trying to ease his nerves and dissipate the tension. It didn’t take all that much scrutiny to see how badly his hands shook.

“Kind of ironic that my first date is with him,” Junhui noted. Growing up around parents and families who considered him a danger to their kids, and peers who saw him as a freak, finding a boyfriend had never been an easy task. So Junhui had given up on the idea long ago, preferring to secretly crush on people to avoid heartache. Now to go on his first official date with the guy who hated him to the core felt like an out-of-body experience.

“It’s not a real one,” Soonyoung replied. “It’s a business arrangement, and a truce in memory of Dr. Minji.”

“I guess.”

The boys left the room and headed down to the kitchen.

“How does Wonwoo feel about this?” Soonyoung wondered, hopping on one of the stools around the island.

Butterflies fluttered in Junhui stomach, but then he remembered that he hadn’t told Soonyoung about him and Wonwoo yet. Did his friend also have a sixth sense and figured it out? Junhui wasn’t ready for this conversation yet. Especially not now.

Before he could think further, Soonyoung added, “Didn’t he wonder why you played hooky today?”

“Oh.” Junhui sighed in relief discreetly. “He’s not exactly thrilled about this evening’s agenda, either.”

“Ooh,” Soonyoung laughed mischievously, “Is it jealousy?”

Arching a brow, Junhui stared at him. “Wonwoo doesn’t get jealous.”

“No?”

“I don’t think so?”

Soonyoung threw him a look. Then he shrugged. “If you say so. Then why wasn’t he happy? It can’t be that your absence would slow down the renovation progress that much.”

“No, he works fine on his own. He’s just… concerned. He doesn’t think very highly of Jaehyun.”

Soonyoung snorted. “Who does? But anyway, I’m surprised. Whenever I see him in town, he always looks so stoic. I didn’t even know he knew how to show human emotions.”

“Ha ha ha…” Junhui tried to laugh it off, and thankfully, the anxiety over tonight’s date gave him an excuse for sounding so stiff. “Wonwoo was very closed off,” he said in agreement. “I think being here has helped.”

“You mean _you_ helped,” Soonyoung snickered, elbowing him. “What did you do? Gave him a little love therapy, eh? Eh?” He wiggled his brows suggestively, and Junhui shoved him away.

“Hoshi, no!”

“You’re so red!” Soonyoung laughed. “Aww, you’re so cute, Moon Junnie.”

At that moment, the doorbell rang. A jolt zapped through his body, and a chill ran down his spine. Junhui shuddered, sharing an anxious look with his friend. Soonyoung put on a brave smile and motioned for him to be strong. From down the hall, Hyejin came out of her study. She passed by the boys and gave Junhui a gentle stroke on the head.

“You can still decline, you know?”

But Junhui shook his head. He had made a commitment, and he was going to go through with it regardless of how sick he felt.

With a sigh, his mother nodded and went to open the door. He heard Jaehyun greet her cheerfully, although he stayed out on the porch.

“Can you give me a push? I think my legs locked.”

Soonyoung snorted out a laugh, which also made Junhui smile a little. The two walked out together.

Around the corner, Junhui eventually spotted Jaehyun. He was dressed better than usual, with a dark pair of jeans, a gray button-down shirt, and black blazer. When Junhui stepped into his field of vision, his eyes widened slightly as he assessed the boy from head to toe.

Next to him, Soonyoung radiating out a smug and proud vibe. “Beautiful, isn’t he? It wouldn’t come as such a shock if you didn’t spend so much time hating him.”

“Hoshi!”

Jaehyun cracked a smile, but his expression remained detached. “You look wonderful.”

Call Junhui skeptical, but the compliment didn’t sound all that genuine. More like a rehearsed line he needed to tell Junhui in front of his mother. Regardless, Junhui thanked him anyway. He avoided eye contact as he slipped on his shoes.

“Shall we go?” Jaehyun extended out his hand for Junhui to take to straighten up. The latter hesitated, glimpsing from his hand to his face. To not make a scene, Junhui tentatively took his hand. “I won’t have him out too late,” he told Hyejin.

After an awkward goodbye, the pair exited the house. Junhui knew even without looking that Soonyoung would scramble to the living room window and watch him through the curtains.

Which made Jaehyun’s arm around his waist all the more bizarre and uncomfortable. It was no secret that Junhui was a tactile person. He loved showing affection through touch, and he’d had his friends and Wonwoo hold him close numerous times. However, never had he felt so uneasy about another person’s hand on his body. The silk shirt he wore was thin, which allowed all the heat and pressure from Jaehyun to settle on his skin.

To add to the disquietude, he was forced recall his date’s height. Normally, Junhui would find comfort and protection standing close to taller guys, but instead he felt vulnerable next to Jaehyun. The fear, he knew, was rooted in their past altercations and the years of bullying, more than anything. If it came down to it, Junhui was more than confident he could hit him and run away. However, logic didn’t help all that much.

When they were down the driveway and out of earshot, Junhui asked, “Is this really necessary? We both know the reason for this date has nothing to with mutual attraction, so why pretend?”

His hand still resting on Junhui’s waist, Jaehyun used the other one to unlock the car as they neared the vehicle. “I just feel like it.” He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for him, waiting until Junhui got in before closing it. For a split second, Junhui wondered if Jaehyun would slam it against his leg. Not to break it, but enough to give him a bruise in the morning.

The ride was quiet for the most part during the time it took them to get into town. Instead of heading for the food district, he navigated through the residences where he lived. Junhui glanced at him, asking silently where they were going.

“I’m just picking up Vince and Lynn, then we’ll be on our way.”

Great. The guy who blamed Junhui for spilling his coffee and his mean girlfriend. The evening just brightened up. He shrunk in the seat.

“Your friends are coming?”

Nodding, he pushed the call button on the steering wheel. “I thought being alone with me would make you uncomfortable.”

_Not as uncomfortable as having your friends along, too._ Junhui chewed on his lips and looked out the window.

After a few rings, Vince’s voice filled the car. “Hello?”

“Hey, I’m on my way. Are you set?”

“Sure sure. I just gotta finish up—” He cut himself off with a loud moan. Junhui’s ears buzzed, and he stared right through the window, pretending to be anywhere else but here. “Ugh, Lynn, babe—Sorry, Jae. We’ll try to finish up by the time you— _oh!_ —Unless you and Junhui wanna join us?”

Junhui bit his lip as hard as he could to stop the scream he wanted to let out, and he clenched his hands tightly in his lap to stop himself from opening the car door and throwing himself out.

“Vince, shut the fuck up,” Jaehyun replied tiredly, annoyance bleeding through. “I know you’ve done nothing but play _Fallout_ all day.”

Vince guffawed on the other line. “What, did it make the little virgin next to you embarrassed?”

Junhui jolted, causing the driver to glance at him, before returning his attention on the road. He completely ignored his friend’s comment. “I’m three blocks away. If you don’t come outside within two minutes after I get there, I’m leaving without you.”

“Alright, alright. No need to get all scary with me.” The call disconnected, and Junhui breathed out a little. Was this how the entire evening would go?

Jaehyun stopped at a traffic light. “Sorry about that,” he muttered.

Junhui nodded absentmindedly. He didn’t comment on how hypocritical it was for Jaehyun to rebuke his friend, when he himself had been spewing the same thing for years. Junhui had no idea why he even bothered, considering there was no audience to keep up appearances for. Unless he counted the spirit of Dr. Minji, in which case maybe Junhui had hope of getting through the evening without too much trouble.

Jaehyun drove into the Moors’ driveway, passing by the landscaped lawn and iron gates. Obviously, living here for his entire life, Junhui had known the general location of where Vince lived, but this was the first time he actually saw his house. No wonder he and his friends were so stuck up. Although, it made Junhui wonder why they continued to live here instead of moving to a bigger town. Probably because they might not be such big shots anywhere else.

Heeding Jaehyun’s threat, it didn’t take very long at all for Vince to walk out with his girlfriend. Junhui wished he had somewhere to hide from them, especially Lynn. Since he had no hiding spot, he resigned to press the heels of his hands over his eyes.

The couple sauntered over, and Vince opened the door for her to go in first, then followed in. As Jaehyun put the car into reverse, Junhui heard Vince move around to get his seatbelt clipped. Then he leaned forward in between the seats to look at him.

“What’s up with the red eyes and puffy lips?” he pointed. Then a vile sneer cut across his face. “Don’t tell me you guys actually had a little fun on the road.”

Junhui choked on air, while Jaehyun barked out, “What?!”

Vince seemed oblivious to it all, continuing, “Is that how you begged him for forgiveness? Did it work? I don’t see any stains around, so did you swallow? Damn, guess what they say about virgins being into all sorts of kinky shit is true.”

Blinking as fast as his heart was beating, Junhui couldn’t make his brain work. He had no idea how to respond to such crude and vulgar comments. In the past, he’d just ignore them and walk away. Right now, he was stuck in this seat.

“For the love of god,” Jaehyun gritted out, “Will you just shut up?”

Vince’s loud laughter filled the car, and softer next to him, Lynn snickered. Closing his eyes, Junhui moved deeper into his seat and toward the window.

For the rest of the car ride, the three of them continued to make small talk, while Junhui tried to tune them out. It didn’t exactly work.

“So did you know that this place is the only one we could find where people didn’t know who you and Jaehyun are?” Vince asked obnoxiously. “All the other places we talked to, for some reason, refused to give us a table.”

His girlfriend chimed in. “They probably didn’t want to clean up a murder scene,” she muttered with a snicker. “I’m actually slightly scared of being here.” Vince roared into laughter.

“Alright, guys,” Jaehyun tried to reign them in. Junhui had no idea why, since he probably enjoyed this, too. “That’s hardly realistic.”

“He already got away with two bodies,” Lynn muttered with a scoff. “How much more realistic do you want to get?”

Driving to Clemester usually took less than ten minutes, yet it had felt like ages. Junhui’s brain felt numb.

They arrived at the restaurant, and Jaehyun drove straight to the valet parking. Junhui had undone his seatbelt and was about to push open the door, when his supposed date appeared on the other side and beat him to it. Standing there, he actually gave Junhui his hand. Warily, Junhui took it and stepped out onto the sidewalk.

They walked to the entrance; Vince and Lynn followed closely behind. Because Jaehyun was still holding on to him, Junhui could feel his friends’ disapproving glares burn his back. Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Junhui endured rather than squirm away.

The hostess took Jaehyun’s name and led the group to a table toward the back. Again, his over the top gallantry took Junhui by surprise when he pulled out the chair for him. Glancing at his friends, Junhui noted their disgust. He carefully sat down, afraid one of them might pull the chair out at the last minute and call it an accident. Thankfully, the scenario didn’t take place outside of his imagination.

The waitress came over to hand them menus, then asked about drinks. Jaehyun ordered a bottle of red wine as a start, and Junhui’s stomach knotted up. He hoped that since Jaehyun still needed to drive, he wouldn’t actually get drunk.

“Do you know what you want to eat yet?” Jaehyun asked, startling him.

Before Junhui could answer, Lynn jumped in, not bothering to even look at him, “Don’t worry about the prices. I’m sure Jaehyun is fine paying for your first—and probably last—meal here.” Next to her, Vince provided the laugh track.

Embarrassed and flushing, Junhui slumped his shoulders and buried his nose into the menu. Junhui ordered a pasta dish to be safe, then avoided everyone’s eyes. Just like in the car, the three friends maintained a good flow of conversation. Junhui was glad to be spared. The food arrived quickly, much to his joy, and he began to eat. If he just focused on eating the delicious food, he could zone out.

About halfway through his plate, though, Lynn ‘accidentally’ knocked over her glass of wine. The liquid pooled into his pasta.

“I am so sorry,” she said without an ounce of honesty. The boys refrained from laughing, but he knew they planned it. Not saying a word, he pushed the plate away. He grabbed some bread from the basket and munched on that with butter.

For most of the meal, Junhui tuned them out, but by the time dessert came, he snapped back to attention.

“It’s all right, man,” Vince said, “I’ll get mine and Lynn’s. You already barfed up a thousand for him,” he shot Junhui a look. “God knows why you had to go to such lengths.”

Jaehyun, however, took it with good humor as he asked the waitress to split their bill. “Because it was the right price. I wanted to buy an evening with someone not for sale. I had to pay for it.”

“Yeah, yeah. We were there,” Vince waved it off. “I was talking about all the other stuff.”

Taking a sip of his wine, Jaehyun rolled his eyes. “It’s not like I could’ve known the animal prank wasn’t gonna cost that much damage. Besides, no one got hurt then, or at Mrs. Ginger’s shop, either.”

Shocked, Junhui turned to stare at him with round eyes, unable to register what exactly he was talking about. Did he really admit to being the one who released all the farm animals the day before the opening of the Festival? Moreover, he was the vandal who broke into the nail shop to destroy it? Why?

Jaehyun met the boy’s bewildered gaze with a calm expression. “I thought I could hit two birds with one stone. Cause some immediate damage in order to get people to attend the date auction, as well as putting the blame on Jeon. Too bad I didn’t know he was out of town.” He shrugged.

“Why would you do that?” Junhui whispered, repulsed. “One of the baby sheep got devoured, and Mrs. Ginger is out of work. And why do you keep targeting Wonwoo?”

Jaehyun sighed as if he were tired of explaining simple concepts to a child. “Jeon is an eyesore. I already told you I want him out of town. And who cares about one dead sheep? The trust fund will enable Farmer Jung to buy another one, as for Mrs. Ginger, the insurance and our contribution will cover the costs,” he explained logically, coldly. “I needed to give the town some incentive, set the stage for my big donation. You never would have agreed otherwise, correct?”

What an egotistic bastard, Junhui thought. Instead of saying it out loud, he shook his head and looked away, his mouth tasting bitter and sour in lieu of the sweet creme of the cake. Jaehyun might have had a good reason for wanting this date—to appease the memory of his mother, but it didn’t hurt him that now the town thought he was such a generous being, especially when he apparently let go of his differences with Junhui to help out Mrs. Ginger. No one knew that he was the cause of her troubles in the first place.

Afterward, Jaehyun and Vince paid for the dinner, and the group headed out to the car. Finally, after only a few minutes Junhui would free. That thought alone put a spring in his steps. He was too distracted by almost going home that he didn’t notice the roads Jaehyun was taking. Maybe if he had known, he would’ve had an easier time computing the next half hour.

Instead of turning into town or down the road to the Wen house, Jaehyun made turns toward the mountains and woods. As they got closer, Junhui heard laughter and shouting through the closed windows. Far away among the trees, he could spot what looked like a bonfire. Before he could understand what was going on, Jaehyun parked the car by the side of the road, and all three of them got out. Jaehyun prompted Junhui to do the same when he opened the passenger door.

Night had fallen over the summer night. The stars and clear sky offered them some help in navigating through the grass and trees. Junhui had no real choice but to follow after Jaehyun deeper into the field. As they moved closer, the sound of people partying got louder. Okay, Junhui thought, so Jaehyun and his friends decided to have an outdoor party in the woods right outside of Diamond Creek. With any luck, he could escape while they were all drunk and walk home. It was a trek, but he should be back within the hour. Anything was better than spending more time with them.

The farther they walked, though, the more familiar the scenery became. When they reached the edge of the Clearing, Junhui gasped in horror, stopping dead in his tracks. Vince and Lynn continued forward, joining the fifty or so kids their age drinking, smoking, laughing. Trash was thrown all over the place, and no one seemed to care. Someone had brought out a stereo or something, because the music was blasting at full volume. But Junhui couldn’t concentrate on that. All he could see was the beautiful sanctity of the Clearing, now destroyed.

As he stood there mortified, he heard Jaehyun’s steady footsteps coming up behind him. When Junhui glanced over, he folded his arms behind his back, taking his eyes from the scene to meet the boy’s gaze.

“Why?” was all he could ask, his voice shaking.

Jaehyun shrugged, not answering. He didn’t need to talk for Junhui to see the glint in his eyes, the pleasure his victim’s discomfort and distress gave him. This was pure revenge, a kick that would leave its mark. The insults and degradation throughout the night was nothing but a warm-up. His manners and attempts at being a gentleman served to keep Junhui around. If they had gone too far, Junhui would have left before this big finale.

“It wasn’t that hard to find,” Jaehyun told him a moment later. “All I had to do was follow you. One look was all it took to see how much this place meant to you.” He snorted, and added under his breath, “for whatever reason.”

Junhui stated, forcing his voice to sound calm, “An eye for an eye. Tell me how destroying this place will make anything right.”

His eyes narrowed. “It doesn’t, but it gives me the gratification of knowing that I hit a sensitive spot. Refresh your memory a little.”

“Don’t you think I know enough about grief and pain?” Junhui demanded. “You aren’t the only who lost a parent that night!”

“ _You_ killed them!” he shouted, his breathing heavy from rage.

“I never meant—”

“Shut up!” he screamed, taking a step closer to him. Instinctively, Junhui backed away, keeping his eyes on him. “Just... shut up. I don’t want to hear any of that shit from you,” he hissed. “This doesn’t even begin to even out the fields between us.”

Swallowing, Junhui took deep breaths. Seeing the field getting trashed, knowing its magic was gone, its importance and sanctity violated by something so nasty as revenge cut him up inside. However, despite how much he hated Jaehyun and his friends for doing this, he felt so much pity for him. Jaehyun thought he was hurting Junhui, while the only one really suffering was him.

“The reason why this seemingly deserted meadow was so important to me is the same reason behind your motive for destroying it,” Junhui said.

Opening his mouth, Jaehyun closed it, forming a grimace as he glared at him. “Don’t you dare bring her into this.”

“You defiled her name and memory the moment you and your friends set foot on this meadow,” he let him know. “She used to come here; this place used to be her sanctuary—the place she would come to get a rest from her day. I was dying, so she told me of its existence, making me promise to protect it, to keep it a secret. Even then, she realized that if people knew about it, it would get destroyed.”

Jaehyun shook his head in denial, not wanting to believe what he was hearing. “You’re lying.”

“I’m not! I might have been the reason she died, but you are the one who destroyed the last physical remnant of her.”

Jaehyun stood there in shock and rage, unable to compose his emotions. The fire a few feet from the pair glowed brightly, illuminating his face, showing him exactly what he had done. Junhui didn’t need to get even with him for everything Jaehyun had done to him tonight or the years passed. He hurt himself plenty already. By bottling so much of that hatred inside, he was only torturing his own mind and body foremost.

“I hope tonight was worth it,” Junhui told him as he turned to leave. “As always, you got what you wanted: to humiliate me, hurt me, and destroy something I held dear. I hope those things were worth a thousand dollars and the memory of your mother.”

No one else but them knew what had just happened. Of the impact of Jaehyun’s actions. The rest of his friends continued to party and ruin this field as much as they could. Junhui’s last look at Jaehyun showed him motionless in the same spot, staring out into the fire without seeing it. As for Junhui, he walked away from the field not feeling anything. His head just felt empty.

The Clearing was close to home enough that Junhui didn’t worry about calling to get a ride. Besides, he needed time to think over the evening. Jaehyun had gone through so much trouble just to get back at him, even stooping so low as to lie to him about the cause of his sudden act of benevolence. His hatred for Junhui and his grief had blinded him. To go so far as committing vandalism in order to get his twisted plan working… Junhui supposed he should be glad Jaehyun hadn’t hurt anyone physically.

Was Junhui as bad a person as Jaehyun thought him to be? How come Junhui was able to somewhat assuage Wonwoo, but not even get Jaehyun to forgive him? Mentioning Wonwoo, his stomach did that weird fluttering thing again, and he smiled despite himself.

Wonwoo and Junhui were... What were they exactly? He wasn’t sure, but all he knew was that Wonwoo made him feel whole. Complete. The emotions were too strong, too much. But not enough.

That thought frightened him. But he still yearned.

Those feelings were an intoxicating sensation of pure bliss, but at the same time, it was like leaping off of a cliff. Risking the potential danger for the exhilaration and ecstasy. For the wonderful feeling of belonging to someone, and having him belong to you.

For how long, Junhui wasn’t certain, but eventually, the fluttering in his chest was much stronger than it had been. So much so that he started to wonder if something was wrong with him. He stopped in his tracks and placed a hand over his heart, trying to feel it out.

“Junnie.”

He startled at the call of his name in the middle of road, only then realizing how familiar the voice was. As if in response, the flutter grew even stronger. He looked behind him to see Wonwoo. Without an ounce of hesitation, he ran and leapt into his arms.

With a chuckle, Wonwoo caught him. “Hi.”

Junhui grinned, hugging him tight. “Hi. You found me.”

“I found you,” Wonwoo confirmed with a soft tone and fond gaze. He brushed the brown strands of hair out of his eyes. “Tired?”

With a head shake, Junhui answered, “Not anymore.”

Wonwoo chuckled, seemingly appeased. “Come with me for a bit.”

“Okay.”

Taking him by the hand, Wonwoo led him away. He was surprised to see that Wonwoo’s car was parked nearby. Since Wonwoo hadn’t trusted himself not to do something rash while Junhui was on his date, he had decided to go hunting with Minsoo.

“Did you go somewhere after your hunt?”

“No, the place I want to show you is just a little far to go on foot for humans.”

“Where is it?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

Junhui pouted, prompting Wonwoo to stroke his chin. “Behave. I promise it’ll be worth it.”

Taking his word for it, Junhui settled in the car and did as he was asked.

The ride was quiet between them, and while Junhui’s heart jumped into his throat as it always did when riding with him, he was far from uneasy. He actually took comfort in Wonwoo’s crazy driving.

Arriving at their destination, Junhui still had no idea where he was being led to. Still, he followed Wonwoo by the hand, stepping over shrubs and navigating an old path overgrown with trees. At last, they came upon a set of old and rusty gates, which screeched into the silent night.

“Is this… an old park?”

“Mhm. It’s toward the back.”

Junhui didn’t get a chance to ask what was in the back, because he was too busy watching his step, trying not to trip over roots and fallen tree branches. Just as Wonwoo promised, though, the arduous journey was worth it.

“Wow!” he exclaimed, staring wildly at the old carousel. Most of the paint and shine had long ago faded, but it still held some of that magical aura to it. “How did you even find this place?”

Wonwoo walked him around the platform, explaining, “During my absence from Diamond Creek, searching for the Healing Stone. The generator still works.”

“Really?” Junhui could hardly contain his excitement.

A moment later, the motor kicked in, and instantly, the lights flashed on and the music started to play. The animals spun to life, bobbing up and down happily, not even a little bit bothered by their chipped paint. While it couldn’t compare to the modern and fancy carousel of the Festival, this one held something special. Maybe because it was hidden in the woods, only to be discovered by Wonwoo and shared with Junhui. Now it was their own little secret.

“Wanna go for a ride?” Wonwoo asked, walking back toward him.

“Can we?”

“Let’s go.”

They jogged along the platform, then when the moment felt right, each grabbed onto a pole and hoisted himself up. It was so exhilarating, Junhui couldn’t help laughing. The couple stood leaning against the nearest horse, Wonwoo keeping Junhui steady.

Winding his arms around Wonwoo’s middle, he stared up at him. “Not that I’m complaining, but why did you bring me here?”

Wonwoo rubbed his thumb lightly over the full bottom lip. “So I can see you do this.” As if on cue, Junhui grinned, cheeks pink.

“You’re silly,” he said. “I’d smile at you even if there was no merry-go-round.”

“Is that so? Then maybe we should just go home.”

Shaking his head, Junhui tightened his hug. “Nooooo.” He pressed his face against the other’s chest. “Not yet.” He didn’t want to go back to reality yet. He didn’t want to think or face the consequences of what Jaehyun had done.

Carefully, Wonwoo enveloped him in his embrace. He spoke quietly, “What happened?”

He sighed. He knew Wonwoo must have been feeling anxious and worried the entire evening, holding his tongue until Junhui was ready to tell him. It wasn’t the most uplifting conversation, but at least it’d put Wonwoo’s mind at ease knowing nothing harmful came to him. After a few moments gathering his words, Junhui told him everything. The more the spoke, the harder Wonwoo’s grip on the pole became. His expression clouded over, frown deep.

“The bastard got what he deserved,” he ground out. “I’m just sorry you had to be involved. I know how important that place was to you.”

“I know, but isn’t too cruel that the memory of the person he loved most was destroyed by his own doing? Everything he did—all the scheming and effort—backfired on him. If I feel this awful about the Clearing, imagine what he must feel like. And at the end of the night, I have you. He has no one. At this rate, he’s going to self-destruct.”

“Let him.”

“Huh?”

Wonwoo sighed. “You can’t save everyone, especially a person who doesn’t want to be rescued. He’s not going to let you, so why even bother?”

“Neither did you,” Junhui reminded him with a poke to the chest.

Wonwoo cracked a smile at that, nodding. “That’s true, but then I realized that I needed you as much as you needed me at that moment.” He was referring to the day Junhui gave up his piece of Crystal. If it hadn’t been for him, Junhui would’ve been dead now. And so would Wonwoo, most likely.

“I know you’re right,” Junhui said. “And I never intended to save him, so to speak. I just think his fate is really sad.”

“Mm. Well, I’m more concerned about my fate.”

Not quite understanding, Junhui glimpsed up at him.

Smirking, he said, “You’re responsible for making me this way. Won’t you do something about it?”

Junhui giggled and pushed onto his toes to peck his lips. “Is that good enough?”

He snorted. “Not even close.” Pushing a hand through the hair at the back of Junhui’s head, he tipped his head and claimed his lips.

Once they broke away, Wonwoo chuckled at the dazed look on Junhui’s face, thumb swiping over the kiss-swollen lips. He leaned their foreheads together. “Is this what it feels like to be falling?” he asked, amused.

Still a little out of breath, Junhui laughed and shrugged. “Maybe. All I know is that we’re spinning.”

“Cute,” he chuckled, and the boy grinned.

“In all honesty, though,” Junhui said, “It’s been really hard for me to identify... this.” He indicated with his eyes the distance between them, which wasn’t much. “It’s so...”

“Foreign?” Wonwoo offered, and Junhui nodded. “And addicting.” To prove his point, he kissed him again.

Junhui giggled against his lips. “That, too.”

“Don’t you ever reconsider?”

“Reconsider what?”

A fain smile graced his face. He spoke softly, “Have you already forgotten what I am? What I’ve done?”

“You’re the one who gave up everything and came back for me,” Junhui said, wrapping his arms around the older’s neck. “Beneath all the ice is the real you. We all have dark pasts, things we did, parts of ourselves we wish didn’t exist. But those things are what shape us into the people we are today.”

The way Wonwoo gazed at him now was so vulnerable, so open. Rarely did he let his guards down, but when he did, it only served to make Junhui fall deeper and deeper.

“There’s no going back on my part,” he promised.

Taking a hand away from his waist, Wonwoo stroked his cheek. “You really are too good for me, kitten.”

Wonwoo didn’t let him answer. He leaned forward and stole his lips. At that moment, it was so easy to forget the evening prior to meeting him on the road. So easy to just see him, and no one else. An hour with him was enough to make everything right. As if the rest of the night had been fixed.

There were many reasons why Junhui loved the carousel. The most significant one, though, was how when he was riding it, he was the only one moving. The rest of the world seemed stationary compared to the riders.

Tonight, it was even more apparent. There were only Wonwoo and Junhui, spinning together in this new and novel realm that they created, yet didn’t quite understand themselves, in a place only they knew.

Around them, all things were quiet.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well jaehyun fcked up 🙄 poor junnie though *sigh*
> 
> but wonhui were cuuuuuuute~ (*ฅ́˘ฅ̀*) .｡.:*♡ look at wonu equipping his kitchen with stuff for junnie to cook and eat with. awwwww. and the merry-go-round! guess jun went on 2 dates hahaha. 
> 
> i hope this chapter didn't disappoint. i had to rewrite it bc the first draft was kinda blah so if there's more typos than usual, pls spare me 😔 i know a lot (if not ALL) of you wanted to see possessivewoo, and he was there... a little bit? lol. i mean, he tried to repress it to not come across as controlling (which is something he is very sensitive to), and hates jaehyun too much to stand there with him (mainly, he had to walk away and sit on the porch bc yes, he wanted to give jun "privacy" but also bc he was afraid he'd end up punching jaehyun if he stood within arm's length 😅). so anyway, hopefully it wasn't a disappointment?
> 
> also announcement: i have a midterm next week, so i won't be able to work on the chapter. so expect ch. 26 to be posted either on saturday or sunday of next week. i'm sorryyyyyy (つ﹏<。)
> 
> as always, thank you for reading!  
> xoxoxo


	26. Cup of Coffee

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people! long time no see! haha. thank you for being patient :D
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> -

 

 

Wonwoo dropped Junhui off at the house close to midnight. As the black sedan drove into the driveway, Junhui noticed that the house lights were still on. Hyejin was no doubt staying up to wait for him, waiting for hear what happened tonight. He wished that he could forget the first part of the evening and only retain his meet-up with Wonwoo at the merry-go-round. Of course, like Cinderella, the strokes of midnight broke the spell, and he was back to reality. Life wasn’t a fairytale; he didn’t have the luxury of pretending hurtful events didn’t occur. He had to buckle up and move on and move past it.

“Thank you,” Junhui said, unclipping his seatbelt.

Wonwoo patted his head, a faint smile on his lips. “Get inside. I’m sure your family must be worried.”

He nodded and stepped out of the car. “I’ll see you later. Goodnight, Wonwoo.”

“’Night, kitten.”

Standing on the porch, he waved and watched as Wonwoo backed out of the lot. Then once the car disappeared, he turned around and unlocked his front door.

“Junnie?” Hyejin called from her study.

“I’m home, Mom!”

As he closed the door behind him, she walked out of the small room with hurried steps. “Are you okay? How did it go?”

Although she kept her voice light and her smile warm, he could sense the relief from seeing him back safely. She stroked his hair gently, eyes roaming over his face for signs of injury or tears, most likely.

He smiled, “I’m okay, Mom.”

Now she allowed herself to chuckle. She ushered her son toward the couch. “How did he behave during the dinner? Did he say anything hurtful? Did you spend the entire time at the restaurant?”

Junhui decided to answer the last question first. “No, we, uh... The meet-up ended around ten, but I took a walk to clear my head. That’s when I ran into Wonwoo. We rode around for a bit and he drove me home,” he laughed nervously, looking down to his shoes.

Footsteps from the second floor resounded, then a couple seconds later, Minghao came down the stairs. “You’re back,” he noticed. “Mingyu was just asking about you.”

“Thank him for me.”

“Good date?” his brother asked, making a face.

Scrunching up his face, Junhui shook his head. “Not really.”

“Yeah, I figured,” he snorted. “So what happened?” Minghao went into the kitchen to pour himself a glass of water, as Junhui tried to find the words to explain what went on without making them too upset.

“Vince and his girlfriend came with us,” Junhui started. “They weren’t the nicest dinner guests,” he mumbled. Minghao rolled his eyes, exiting the kitchen. He plopped down into the armchair. With his family’s expectant gaze, Junhui eventually narrated the whole evening up to the petty and ignorant act of retribution. This was the first time either of them heard of the Clearing and its significance to him. At his side, Hyejin squeezed his hand tenderly.

“I’m sorry, honey,” she said. “Were the damages considerable?”

He shrugged. “I’m not sure. There were a lot of people, smoking, drinking, burning stuff. Even if they didn’t really destroy it, the sanctity of it will never be salvaged.”

She nodded somberly.

“Wait,” Minghao interrupted. “So he just admitted to setting those farm animals loose and vandalizing Mrs. Ginger’s shop?”

“Pretty much,” Junhui nodded. “Vince brought it up, and he didn’t deny it.”

Minghao, stunned, yet somewhat expecting it coming from Jaehyun, merely sighed. “He won’t always be able to depend on his uncle’s political power to get out of trouble.”

“Right now, I’m just glad that no one got injured,” Hyejin said. “I want to report it, but I don’t know if it’ll do any good.” Glancing at Junhui, she stroked his hair. “It would ultimately come down to your word against his.”

Minghao and Junhui agreed. “No way would his friends ever admit to it.”

“It’s late,” she announced with a final tone. “Get changed and go to sleep.”

Not arguing with her, Junhui climbed upstairs and headed straight for his room. He switched on the reading light, then got out of the flashy clothes in exchange for something more comfortable. Once he returned from the bathroom, he collapsed into bed and reached for the light switch, plunging the room into darkness. If only sleep didn’t evade him.

Tossing back and forth for half an hour, he realized that while his body was physically exhausted, his brain couldn’t shut down. His thoughts kept going around in circles, preventing him from finding relief in dreamland. Groaning, he turned on his lamp again and grabbed his phone.

Soonyoung had replied to his earlier message about retuning home safely. He glanced at the clock. Why wasn’t his friend asleep already? Well, since he couldn’t sleep, then he might as well chat with Soonyoung for a bit. Unlike Hyejin and Minghao, his friend has a much more colorful reaction to the evening. Junhui could feel his annoyance and murderous intent through the phone screen. If he had been less brain-dead, he probably would have tried to calm Soonyoung down. As it were, he just started laughing hysterically.

Eventually, after who knew how long, he succumbed to sleep.

 

Like all Saturdays, Junhui was scheduled to work at _Angel Wings_. It took all he had that morning to get out of bed and start the day. His head feel like a ton of bricks on his shoulders, and spending a whole day in the vicinity of the president of the Gossip Brigade did not give him proper motivation. He really wanted to stay home for a change.

When he arrived at the mercantile shop, Mrs. Yoon was already talking to Barbara Hopkins. The ladies gave him a wave in acknowledgment, then went back to discussing Alyson’s marriage woes. Alyson was the daughter of her so called friend, Mrs. Braum. Evidently, being friends with Yoon Gyeongja did not give you a gossip-free pass. Mrs. Braum made the mistake of confiding in Mrs. Yoon about Alyson’s troubles, so now of course, every member of the Gossip Brigade knew about it.

Minding his own business, Junhui went to the back room to wheel out a few boxes of apples and began to stack them in their bins. At some point during that task, Barbara Hopkins left; only Mrs. Yoon and Junhui remained in the store. Not a good situation to be in. He acted as casually as he could seeing as he was functioning on only a few hours of sleep.

“So did you have a nice time last night?” Mrs. Yoon asked in a conversational tone.

Momentarily, Junhui wondered how she even knew about it, then he remembered whom he was talking to, and it ceased to puzzle him.

“The food was very delicious, I guess,” he answered, continuing to stack the apples.

She paused, not anticipating the lackluster response. “I was rather surprised that he would take you to _Smile Flower_ to dine,” she admitted. “To be honest, I never imagined that his offer was serious.”

Nodding, Junhui took a step back to admire his work, then continued. “I was very surprised, too. Had it been a mere joke, it would have had saved him a lot.” _More than just money_. “I know the entire town thinks he was crazy for spending so much money on me.”

A customer came in, and Mrs. Yoon paused their conversation to greet the man. Once he went off to shop, she turned back to her volunteer.

“No no, that’s not what I meant.” She leaned her folded arms on the counter. “It’s just that, with your collective pasts… the idea of the two of you getting together seemed very unlikely. What suddenly changed?”

A chill ran down his spine, and he shivered at that prospect. “We’re not dating,” he corrected her. “Jaehyun still hates me, but he had his reasons for participating in the auction. It’s over now, though, and there’s nothing more to it.”

The last thing Junhui wanted was to feed the gossip mill with elaborate details. His goal was to answer her questions as vaguely as he could. The fewer details he gave, the less she would be able to use out of context. Besides, he knew that whatever he said would get twisted once she decided to relate the tale to the Gossip Brigade, anyway.

“Did he do anything... hurtful?” The sudden change in her tone made him hesitate. For that split second, she sounded genuinely sincere. That was the thing with Mrs. Yoon. She might be the worst gossiper in town, but deep down, she was a loving mother. At times, those traits had to appear, if only for short bursts of time.

Shaking his head, Junhui placed the last apple on the stand. “Not really. It was justa business dinner.” He couldn’t bring himself to tell her the truth. What good would it do?

Eventually, the usual dynamic of the shop swung back into the routine. Around midday, Jeonghan showed up for work, bringing along his daughter, Violet. That brightened the day a little, as Violet managed to distract her grandmother enough from talking behind people’s backs.

That afternoon, Mrs. Yoon got a phone order. From the one-sided conversation, Junhui guessed it was someone from the block. The store received phone orders every so often from one of the business owners around. Mostly, it was to save them time and energy, trying to run to _Angel Wings_ before closing time. Junhui was usually the one who prepped the groceries and delivered them. This time was no exception.

“Junhui,” Mrs. Yoon called, handing him a list. “Please, get these items and ring them up. Take the receipt with you to Mr. Sanders.”

“Okay.” He took the list and glanced over it. Grabbing a basket by the door, he set forth assembling the care package. Since Violet was here occupying her, Mrs. Yoon paid Junhui no attention when he scanned the groceries and got near the cash register. He tore the receipt, then went down the street toward _Tough as Nails_.

As he pushed open the door, he noted Frank Hirshi on his left. The older man took his attention away from a customer discussing power tools to glance at him. When he saw that it was Junhui, he frowned, then returned to the man in the red shirt. Shrugging it off, Junhui looked around for Mr. Sanders. At least with him, Junhui knew his grumpy attitude wasn’t personal. He went through every aisle, up and down the shop. Yet, Mr. Sanders was nowhere to be found. On his third tour, Frank Hirshi jumped in.

“Can I help you with something?” he asked curtly.

“I’m looking for Mr. Sanders. Do you know where he is?” Junhui asked as politely as possible. “He called for his groceries.”

“You can set the bag on the counter,” he told the boy. “He’s in the warehouse, though, if you want to let him know.”

“Thanks.” Without another word, Junhui moved past him and stopped by the front counter, before going through the second exit.

Foremost, Junhui took a look around the area to see if he could spot him. When he didn’t see Mr. Sanders anywhere, he proceeded to the warehouse. As Junhui neared the open doors, he heard a loud clatter, followed by a startled cry, then more objects hitting the ground. Taking off, he ran inside and found Mr. Sanders on his knees. One hand was clutching at his chest while the other gripped the corner of a stack of planks. He was wheezing and turning blue, sweating profusely.

“Mr. Sanders!” Junhui exclaimed, giving him his shoulder to hang on to. “What happened? Are you hurt?”

He couldn’t answer him right away, panting harder and harder by the second. His skin was clammy and cold. Junhui couldn’t wait. He pulled out his phone and called 911.

“911, what’s your emergency?” the operator’s calm voice asked.

“I need an ambulance at 1317 Sunflower Grove. Mr. Sanders is having difficulty breathing, and he’s not responding to verbal commands,” he said, doing his best to escort him outside. Obviously, he wasn’t trained, so he had no idea what to do. The first thing he thought of doing was to get him into a more comfortable position than the one he found him in. Mr. Sanders’ breathing wasn’t as erratic and rapid now that he wasn’t hunched over, so Junhui sighed in a brief moment of relief.

“Please stay with him,” the operator said. “Help is on their way.”

“Thank you.” So he could catch him if necessary, Junhui hung up the phone and quickly pocketed it. “Mr. Sanders, just hang on, okay? An ambulance should be coming soon.”

“Snakes!” the older man suddenly shouted at him, making him jump and look all around them. “Snakes!”

There wasn’t even a worm here, much less a snake. Looking back to Mr. Sanders, Junhui noticed that his eyes were wide with fear, and he was completely pale. At first, he had associated everything with his bout of shortness of breath, but he was starting to wonder if maybe it was induced by fear or shock.

“There’s no snake here, Mr. Sanders,” he told him in order to calm him down. “You’re safe.”

“No!” He shook his head violently, forcing the boy to put a hand on his shoulder to stop the movements before he injured himself. “We will never be safe again! They’ve come back. They’ve come back, and they’re here!”

“Who? The snakes?”

More violent and terrified head shakes. His rough and calloused hand grabbed the boy’s wrist as he stared into space, that horrified expression on his face. “Those crimson eyes. They bring nothing but death! Why have they come back? Monsters!”

Junhui’s mind was still reeling from trying to understand what he was saying, when the paramedics rushed in. Immediately, Junhui moved out of the way for them to do their jobs. Apparently, they came right on time because it didn’t take very long for Mr. Sanders to lose consciousness.

Frank Hirshi and some more people crowded around them. Grumpy and bad-tempered as Mr. Sanders might be, he was still an elderly man. Worry and anxiety were normal. Junhui had to admit, though, that at the same time that his mind concerned itself with the old man’s welfare, the other part also hoped that he wouldn’t be blamed for prompting the collapse. Certainly, Junhui didn’t miss the accusing stares from everyone but the paramedics.

Within a few minutes, they managed to get Mr. Sander’s breathing back to normal, albeit rather weak. As they wheeled him away, Frank Hirshi tagged along, calling back to some of the employees to close down the store. Luckily for Junhui, no one after that bothered to pay him any attention. Even after everyone left, and he found himself standing in the same spot alone, he couldn’t understand what really happened to Mr. Sanders. Did he see a snake in the warehouse, which caused his panic attack? But then what did he mean by ‘they were back’? Did he refer to the snakes as crimson-eyed monsters? If he really did see a snake in the warehouse, maybe Junhui should’ve said something to the authorities.

Unsure what to do here, Junhui eventually returned to the mercantile shop. Obviously, the groceries completely escaped his mind, and he wasn’t reminded of them until he walked through the door. Fortunately for him, Mrs. Yoon had heard of the commotion and wanted to know what exactly happened. Junhui retold her and Jeonghan the details and apologized for neither retrieving the money, nor the bag back. Mrs. Yoon waved the issue away, saying that she would deal with it later. In the meantime, she had waiting customers to attend to.

With her dismissal, Junhui went back to his daily duties. Later in the day, Soonyoung swung by. It was close to closing time, so Jeonghan gave him the green light. He and Soonyoung headed down to the burger place for an early dinner. The sudden craving for a burger always amazed him. After ordering, Soonyoung asked about what happened at _Tough as Nails._

“Officially,” Junhui started, munching on a fry, “Mr. Sanders had a panic attack. I called an ambulance, and they took him to the hospital.”

One of his eyebrows arched. “And unofficially?”

Junhui shrugged. “I don’t think he just dropped to the floor. Before the paramedics arrived, he kept murmuring something about snakes and monsters.”

“So he might’ve seen a snake in there?” he gulped. “Do we even have snakes in the region?”

“No idea,” Junhui admitted to both questions. “And everyone was gone by the time my brain worked again, so I couldn’t tell anyone about it. Maybe you should let Seokmin know, just in case. The store is probably gonna stay closed for the rest of the day and maybe tomorrow, too, so I don’t think the chances of someone else going in are that high.”

“Yeah,” Soonyoung agreed as he bit into his burger. “And about the monsters. What if it had been a burglar? I mean, the warehouse is pretty dark, right? He could have mistaken a burglar in disguise for a monster. On top of seeing a snake.”

Junhui considered that. “How awful.”

“Seriously.”

They ate in silence for a few bites, taking care of their hungry stomachs. Then Junhui ventured, “How are things with you and Seokmin lately? Is he over his cold yet?”

Smiling, Soonyoung blushed a little. “Yeah. He was back on his feet this morning and headed off to work.”

“You must have been a great nurse!”

Soonyoung laughed. “More like he has a great immune system.” He sipped his soda. “But yeah. It’s going well. Mostly, we’ve been just hanging out either at his place or mine, watching movies and stuff. As sad it may sound, yesterday was the longest period of time we got to spend together. The sheriff’s office has been swamped with the dead animals in the woods, lately, that he hasn’t had much of a day off. That’s probably why he got sick, too. Anyway, even with all that overtime, they’re still trying to determine the cause.”

That sent a cold chill down his back, but Junhui tried to suppress it. “Are they closer to figuring out what species it may be?”

“Not really,” he made a face, shuddering. “Whatever it is, they’re all hoping that it’ll stay in the woods and not make it down to town. If it can kill a bear, I don’t want to know what it can do to us.”

Even though it was rather far fetched, Junhui had to wonder if that mysterious creature could be related to what happened to Mr. Sanders this morning. Seokmin had mentioned its apparent presence last week when he gave Junhui a ride home from the Jeon House.

Thinking it over, he scraped the idea. If something that big made it down to town, it had to have been spotted long before it could hide in the _Tough as Nails_ warehouse and scare Mr. Sanders half to death. Perhaps the two had nothing to do with each other. Having a strange beast in the woods wasn’t that uncommon. Right now, it caused fright and anxiety because no one knew what it was. Once identified, it would result in no more fear than a cougar would. Which wasn’t to say that cougars weren’t scary, but they were familiar. Familiar things tended to be less horrific. In general.

“Seokmin’s probably dead-tired whenever he goes get days off, huh?” Junhui commented to get back on topic.

Soonyoung laughed with a nod. “No kidding. That’s why we opted for home entertainment. I didn’t want him to fall asleep on me in public.”

They laughed.

“So it’s still no trouble in paradise, huh?”

“Yeah, so far so good,” he grinned. “It does make me wonder about when the honeymoon-phase ends, though. It’s sad to say, but most relationships don’t go past that initial stage.”

“Oh, come on.” Junhui rolled his eyes. “It’s not like you guys are high school kids. You’ve grown up together, known each other for years.”

“That’s what make it harder, eventually,” he replied thoughtfully. “If we were just teenagers, things would either work out or they wouldn’t. Here, you have two people who have been friends with each other for a very long time. The line distinguishing the limits are much muddier. Say, one day we have a gigantic fight, one that could potentially break us up. Deciding whether the relation was worth saving or not won’t be an easy one. Ultimately, our friendship is thrown into the equation. Do we save our romantic relationship or the friendship? Is either worth putting up with the other person? Can you keep one but not the other?”

His analysis left Junhui speechless for a few seconds. He’d never given that much thought into a breakup, or in this case, hypothetical breakup. But still, the idea was the same. Clearly, Soonyoung had spent some quality time working out this conundrum.

And Junhui thought what he and Wonwoo had was complicated.

“That’s um… a lot.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Have you voiced any of those concerns with him?”

Soonyoung gave him a sheepish look. “No. They’re just thoughts that come to me when I wake up in the middle of the night. You know, when everything just turns bleak and hopeless.”

“Yeah,” he said lightly, but he knew that feeling only too well. Deciding it was time to change the subject to something more uplifting, he asked, “So when is your auction date anyway? What was his name again?”

Seemingly glad of the change of topic, Soonyoung answered, “William. We’re going to see a movie and have lunch next week. Actually, we kinda talked a couple days ago. He goes to the junior college, majoring in business.”

“That’s cool,” Junhui commented. “I’m sure an accountant and business man-to-be ought to have some things in common. Such as...” he pretended to give it thought. “Oh, I don’t know, how fun and thrilling numbers and spreadsheets are. That should totally break the ice!”

“Hey!” Soonyoung swatted his arm with a laugh, and Junhui dodged, laughing, as well. “There’s more than numbers and spreadsheets. We can also entertain ourselves with stories about tax seasons.”

“Oh, goodness,” he gasped dramatically. “You wild animals.”

He stuck his tongue out at him. “Anyway, he seems like a nice guy to hang out with, so we’ll see!”

Junhui smiled, glad to hear that.

“So,” Soonyoung began slowly, approaching the elephant in the room. “Have you seen Jaehyun around today?”

Junhui’s stomach sunk at the unpleasant memory, and he shook his head. “No. I haven’t seen him since last night. I don’t even know how I should act toward him now.”

“Well, I would practice my death glares on him, but that’s just me.”

Giggling, Junhui sipped on his straw. “It just feels sad and awkward, you know?”

With a sigh, Soonyoung patted his hand and sympathized. “I’m really sorry, Junnie. How are you feeling, really?”The way he studied him, it was obvious that he wanted to know the truth, and that the usual ‘I’m fine’ response will not suffice.

Shrugging, Junhui leaned back against the seat. “I guess a little numb. I mean, I’m still having a hard time convincing myself it’s all true.”

“Including the part at the merry-go-round?” he arched a brow, a mischievous smile perched on his lips.

Butterflies fluttered in his stomach at the time as a hot flush washed over him. “How did you—? I mean, I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

Soonyoung cackled at his flustered state and red cheeks. “Ah, Moon Junnie. You get particularly loose-lipped when you’re sleepy, and boy, did I get some good info last night!”

“Noooooooooooo!” Junhui cried, hiding behind his hands.

Seriously, he had no idea what he wrote, exactly. He was exhausted, and he supposed that in his compromised state, Soonyoung was able to extract the whole truth from him. This was terrible. He wanted to crawl under the table to seek refuge from the embarrassment.

Soonyoung nodded now, a glint of satisfaction and mischief making his eyes extra shiny as he snickered. “Yesssssssssss! Although to be honest, I already had a feeling that something had changed in your relationship with him. Going from just acquaintances to work buddies, to friends, and now this. It was just a matter of time” His grin was huge enough to turn his eyes into tiny slits. “Ah, my baby is growing up,” he sobbed, wiping the non-existent tear away.

“I’m older than you,” he retorted as a lame attempt at a comeback.

Soonyoung snorted. “Technicality that literally means nothing in this situation.” Lacing his fingers together, he rested his elbows on the table and smirked at Junhui. “So… Tell me more.”

The other boy felt like he was put under a microscope, and he squirmed, looking all around for a possible escape route.

His friend showed no pity. “How is it? I bet it’s intense. Especially for you, my pure and innocent little lamb. God, this is such a classic tale of the demon corrupting the virgin— _um! um! um!”_

“Okay! Okay! Okay! I’ll tell you, just please stop talking!” Junhui nearly screamed as he clamped his hands over Soonyoung’s mouth. He was close to getting a fever, and he wouldn’t be surprised his brain was getting cooked right this instant. This conversation was so mortifying, he wished he could jump out the window and flee.

Prying his hands away, Soonyoung sat back against his seat and cackled so hard, he had to stomp his feet and hold his stomach. Junhui pouted.

“Hoshi! Stop!”

The other could only nod, too out of breath to speak properly. “I’m—I’m—Sorry! Oh god, I’m sorry!” Wiping very real tears now, he managed to calm down. “Man, you are just so fun to tease.”

“You’re so mean.”

Soonyoung grinned and poked his cheeks. “Relax, Jun. I’m kidding. It was kind of a shot in the dark.”

“Huh? But—”

His friend let out another soft chuckle. “You mentioned running to Wonwoo after the disaster, and that he showed you a secret merry-go-round. Before I could ask for more, you’d fallen asleep. I kinda put two and two together. I mean, I’ve known you your entire life, Moon Jun.” He winked. “I know your type.”

Junhui turned bright red again. “I… It’s not that I was hiding it, per se…”

“Hey, it’s okay!” Soonyoung reassured him. “I’m not gonna take a crowbar to your mouth and force you to tell me everything. I get it. You want to keep some stuff private.”

“Hoshi, it’s not that I didn’t want to tell you. It’s just… complicated and…” He sighed, rubbing his eyes.

“It’s fine! As long as whatever’s going on makes you happy, and he treats you right, I’m happy for you.” Blinking, Junhui stared back at him. This was completely not how he had pictured their conversation going. “Listen,” he patted Junhui’s hand, “Since that ridiculous fight where I got mad at you for keeping secrets from me, I had plenty of time to think. We’re not in high school anymore, where every little detail feels like life or death. We’re mature enough to handle the other’s privacy. Some things are best kept between two people and not shared to a third party. Ultimately, I know that if anything important or significant comes up, you would let me in. Otherwise, I respect that you have the right to your own secret.”

“Thank you.” Smiling back at him, Junhui didn’t know what to say to truly express his emotions. “But I still want you to know that I didn’t purposely hide it from you, I just...” Chewing on his lip, Junhui tried to find the right words. “Everything is still a little ambiguous and very strange. The worst would be to claim that something is there when I, myself, have no idea how to respond to it.”

“Complicated love story?” he suggested with a snicker, and Junhui laughed.

“Close enough.”

A thoughtful expression on his face, Soonyoung rested his arms on the little table in front of them. “Does he make you feel happy, though?” he wanted to know, cocking his head to the side.

Not missing a beat, Junhui nodded then blushed. “But it’s not as simple as just feeling good.”

“It’s a start, at least,” he retorted. “All this time, you’ve been running after a single goal: how to please everyone in order to make up for the past. Not once have I seen you truly stop to think about your own happiness.”

Shrugging, Junhui leaned back against his chair. “Maybe, but you know that I’m not as selfless as you make it sound like.”

“Maybe not ‘selfless’, but you do try to shoulder everything on your own. And it’s not the healthiest thing to do,” he commented, pointing a finger at him. “Anyway. Although Jeon Wonwoo was probably the last person—no scratch that. Not _quite_ the last person, but you get my point.” He waved it off, then started over. “I never saw him as the one who would be bringing a smile or that blush to your face.” He laughed, and Junhui put both of his hands over his face to hide the grin and the flush.

“Well, trust me,” Junhui mumbled behind his fingers. “Neither did I. Or him, for that matter.”

Soonyoung laughed again. “Is he complaining?”

“Not exactly,” he commented with a snort. _Complaining_ was not what Wonwoo did. First, he tried to get rid of Junhui. Then he came back to save his life. Now he gave Junhui kisses that threatened to turn him into a puddle every time, and actually kept him in mind when building his home. “We’re still having a hard time coming to terms with our feelings.”

“I get it,” Soonyoung said, smiling warmly. “Still, I’m glad you’re happy, Jun. You deserve it.”

Lowering his head, Junhui fidgeted. “Thanks, Hoshi.”

For a moment, the boys sat there in silence. The restaurant was slowly emptying, and soon they were among the last few remaining patrons. Evening started to settle in, turning the sky pink and orange with purple wisps of clouds among the dark tree tops. They had paid, but since no one needed their seats, they stayed there.

Junhui was swirling the ice in his drink when Soonyoung spoke again, changing the topic from earlier back to something more important.

“What are you going to do about Jaehyun and his confession?”

Glancing up, Junhui pushed his drink to the side, noticing the water rings on the table. “I’m not really sure. I mean, I want to say _something_ , but at this point, I have no evidence to back it up. More so because I doubt his friends would be willing to be witnesses.”

Soonyoung nodded gravely, drumming his fingers on the table for a moment. “The whole thing still blows my mind. I expected—knew—Jaehyun was an ass, but to go so far as setting the petting zoo loose and wrecking the nail shop changed my mind. He’s an even bigger bastard than previously known. God, he’s psycho. And that field!”

“Everything he did ended up biting him,” Junhui added, and his friend nodded.

“Exactly. It was about damn time karma did something.” He paused. “Maybe we’ll just tell Seokmin. Unofficially.”

Hesitating, Junhui thought about it. “How is that going to help anything?”

“Even if we’re not accusing him of doing it, Seokmin will still subconsciously pay more attention to him. And if we’re lucky, he’ll at least get a traffic ticket or something.”

Hearing that, Junhui couldn’t help but laugh. “Right, a traffic ticket is really going to show him who’s boss. Do I need to remind you that he didn’t even blink when he signed a check for a thousand dollars? And his uncle is mayor.”

“Eh,” he shrugged. “Again, if we’re lucky it’ll be something he can’t get out from. Like, something so terrible he has to go back to traffic school.”

“Oh, boy.”

 

By the afternoon of the next day, Junhui had finally gotten around to clean his room. That included extensive vacuuming, reorganizing his dressers and closet, as well as throwing away junk and loose papers on his desk and under his bed. He had no idea what took him this long to tidy things up, but tripping over boxes and a shoe this morning really did it. As usual, he had the washing machine running, but since he felt productive, he stormed the bathrooms, three days ahead of the weekly schedule. His brother would be so proud. While he went crazy with cleaning products, Hyejin had managed to finish her prep work for lunch and dinner—for the next week.

Maybe it was a mom thing, but she had an incredible ability to plan meals for days (if not weeks at times) ahead. On her day off, she went out into the garden to tend to her plants. After a quick lunch, Junhui hung out with her and lent her a hand with the heavier pots. Later, he went into town and met up with Wonwoo.

Unlike the majority of couples nowadays, they didn’t exactly have technology on their side. Mainly because Wonwoo didn’t carry a phone with him. Not only did it make it impossible for Junhui to send him cute animal pictures and videos, the fact that they could run into each other anywhere outside of the Jeon House or Junhui’s seemed like a miracle. Perhaps it was just that internal sensing thing they had going on (his very own Wonwoo sensor, Junhui liked to think).

At any rate, Junhui wanted to see him to discuss the incident with Mr. Sanders.Getting to spend some time with him would be a very nice bonus, as well. Once in town, it didn’t take very long until Junhui located him. A familiar, shiny black car parked outside of the hardware store made it much easier. Junhui noted, though, that across the street, _Tough as Nails_ was still closed.

Pushing through the doors of Mr. Jenkins’ shop, Junhui browsed around a minute until he found Wonwoo by the power tools. The cart next to him already had various boxes of bolts and screws, stacks of sandpaper, a can of weed killer, a dozen bags of soil, rust remover, and different colored paint cans. Wonwoo was testing out an electric drill when Junhui approached.

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” he started, making Wonwoo turn around to see him. “But I don’t think a new drill was on the list.”

Chuckling, Wonwoo replaced the tool on the shelf. “It could be.”

Junhui grinned, glancing at the content in the cart. “What are you getting these for?”

As he pushed the cart toward the registers, Wonwoo said, “Seeing as the inside of the house is pretty much complete, except for a few things, I figured I’d get started on the outside.”

“So you’re painting the outside walls now? And gardening?”

“That’s the plan.”

They stood in line behind a few people.

“Are you starting on it today?”

“Unless something else needs my attention,” he shrugged. When Junhui didn’t answer in the same light tone as he did earlier, Wonwoo took a closer look at him. “ _Is_ there something else I need to pay attention to?”

Hesitating, Junhui looked briefly around them. No one was particularly listening in, but sometimes pieces of conversations just floated in the air, and people caught them incidentally. He didn’t want to risk others overhearing them.

“I’m not sure,” he finally said, glancing up at him and meeting his worried gaze. “We should probably talk somewhere else.”

Getting the hint, Wonwoo nodded. Right then, his turn came, and he pushed the cart forward to the open register. Once Junhui helped him put the items on the conveyer belt, he told him he’d go check out the café next door. Usually, they had more privacy in a place like that. Besides, he was craving a good milk tea and a muffin.

The coffee house was moderately full, enough to make him watch where he was going in order not to accidentally bump into someone. The line at the counter wound around a few times, and he was in the back of it. As he stood there, his eyes wandered, seeing but not paying attention. Until his gaze fell on a table in the corner.

The boy had his back to him, but Junhui would’ve recognized him anywhere. It was Minghao sitting with Hana at a corner table, and she didn’t seem very happy. Her expression was somber as she listened to him talk. Obviously, with a full room separating him from them, not to mention that his brother had his back to him, Junhui couldn’t make out any piece of the conversation. All he could do was read Hana’s eyes. It didn’t take long for her to inhale sharply and pull her arms tighter around herself. Minghao lowered his head momentarily, nodding, then said something else. She bit her lip, holding back words or tears, as she nodded, as well. Minghao pushed his chair back and asked her something. Softly, she smiled as though she appreciated what he said, but she shook her head, saying: “no, thanks.” That much Junhui could make out. Minghao got to his feet, politely bid her goodbye, then left through the other door.

Junhui followed his brother’s retreating back, glimpsing him stepping into the parking lot and getting into a car that wasn’t his green truck. Squinting, he saw another person waiting for his brother on the driver’s side: Mingyu. The two shared a few words, Mingyu nodding as he listened. Then afterward, he swung an arm around Minghao’s shoulder and let the other lean against him. The pair didn’t linger for much longer; Minghao straightened up, and Mingyu put the car in reverse.

_What just happened?_

As the line moved, Junhui took a couple steps forward and flickered his attention on Hana. Her movements appeared slow, tired, defeated. Once she was sure that Minghao had gone, she buried her face in her hands. It didn’t require imagination to know she was sobbing, her shoulders shaking. When Junhui was about halfway to the counter, she seemed to calm down. Roughly, she wiped her eyes with her palms. Quickly, she got out her compact and checked herself in the mirror. Just like he remembered her doing all throughout high school, she applied the eyeliner and lip gloss like a pro. In less than a minute, her face was as pretty as any model’s. The miracle of cosmetics.

She sat there for another second, then gathered her things and left through the same door as Minghao did. All that was left on the table was an untouched cup of coffee.

Up ahead, the line moved again, and like a robot Junhui followed the flow until there was only a couple people between him and the register. He didn’t feel as hungry, but he still craved his drink, so he waited his turn and paid.

Laughter followed by a clatter on the other side of the room resulted in him glancing over. A couple in their early thirties had accidentally bumped into the table where the lonely cup of coffee had sat, toppling it. Now the white porcelain cup laid on the floor, shattered, its content spilled out. The young man was picking up the shards up from the floor, but it didn’t take very long for an employee to come out and take over. Then it was over.

Junhui was holding on to his cup, absentmindedly swirling the straw around, when Wonwoo found him.

“Junnie,” he called gently, “What’s the matter?”

Snapping out of the daze, the boy managed a small smile and wordlessly led Wonwoo to an empty table. Patiently and cautiously, the older took a seat and waited for an explanation. Wonwoo was expecting him to elaborate on what he had mentioned back at the store, but Junhui was still preoccupied by the scene with his brother and Hana.

He sipped on the straw, mulling over his words. “I think I might have seen Minghao break up with Hana.”

The surprise was plain on his face for a second, then Wonwoo sobered up quickly. “That’s good, isn’t it? That’s what you’ve been hoping for.”

“Yeah,” Junhui agreed, “As a result of the broken spell. I know for a fact that he’s still technically ‘in love’ with her, so it got to hurt.” He took another sip. “It’s hard enough to break up when you fall out of love. I can’t begin to understand what it must be like to say goodbye when you still have such strong feelings. Even if they’re fake.”

Wonwoo didn’t reply right away. He studied the boy for a moment before saying, “I’m not the best person to talk to about love, but I do know a thing or two about making hard decisions.” He paused. “Whatever drove your brother to do what he did won’t let him go back on it. In other words, it’s not the sort of decision he makes on a whim then come to regret it the next morning. Mostly because his thoughts go against everything he’s ever known and believed in, but at some point, his logic and reasoning take over.”

“Not many people can distance themselves like that,” Junhui commented. It’s hard enough to follow your brain and what it tells you. To actually have the two sides of your brain battle each other would be a whole different matter. Wonwoo knew that only too well. Maybe that was the reason he understood what Minghao was going through.

“With the right motivation,” Wonwoo interjected with a small shrug. Gently, he covered the younger’s hand with his. “Look, I know you’re a little stunned,” he guessed, and Junhui nodded in agreement. Seeing them breaking up _had_ stunned him. It had been so unexpected. “This is something your brother has to go through on his own,” Wonwoo continued. “The best thing you can do for him is to leave things be.”

“I know you’re right,” he replied, “And I know he has Mingyu to comfort him if he needs it. It’s just a really weird feeling.”

Wonwoo smiled sympathetically. “How about we go into some pressing matters?” he suggested. “You wanted to talk about something earlier. What is it?”

Nodding, Junhui told him, “Right. Did you hear about the reason why _Tough as Nails_ is closed?”

Wonwoo nodded. “I heard.”

“I was the first one on the scene when Mr. Sanders got his panic attack, and I can’t help thinking that it was induced, somehow.”

“What do you mean?” he leaned forward, brows furrowing.

“While we were waiting for the ambulance, he kept repeating something about snakes and red eyes, and how because of those monsters we’ll never be safe again.”

“Has anyone been in that warehouse since then?” he asked, clearly thinking about something now.

Shaking his head, Junhui answered, “I don’t think so. It’s been closed since then. Why? What are you thinking?”

“I want to know what he really saw in that warehouse.”

Before Junhui could even realize what was going on, they were already in his car, and Wonwoo was driving to _Tough as Nails_. Now the couple stood by the chain-linked fence looking into the back lot of the store. There were trucks parked for delivery purposes, different types of lumber clumps, as well as large gardening tools and utilities. The warehouse doors were closed, and this fence had no entry point.

“What exactly are we doing?” Junhui asked, nervously glancing at his companion.

Not looking at him, Wonwoo was seizing up the enclosure and testing its strength. “Getting some answers.” His fingers gripped the fence before he hopped up and climbed over the top. Astonished, Junhui quickly made sure no one saw him before gluing his eyes on him. With ease, Wonwoo dropped to his feet on the other side. Again, Junhui glanced around them. Luckily, this corner was usually deserted.

With a smirk on his face, Wonwoo approached the fence separating them, linking his fingers through the holes as his eyes met the younger’s. “You coming?” he challenged, an eyebrow raised.

Junhui’s gaze traveled up and down the metal links. “I don’t think so,” he said slowly. “With my luck, my clothes are gonna get caught at the top, and I’ll either fall and twist my ankle or get skewered.”

He chuckled. “Alright, stay put then.” Taking a few steps backward, he added, “You can stand guard in case someone comes along.”

Junhui rolled his eyes. “Wonderful,” he mumbled.

Wonwoo’s chuckles followed him as he walked to the warehouse. Somehow, he managed to pick the lock because within a few minutes, the door swung open, and he disappeared inside.

It was too late now to ask him how the heck Junhui was supposed to let him know if someone was coming. Sighing, he found a large rock among the flowers beds and took a seat. This way, he could keep an eye on the street as well as notice any movement inside.

While he waited, Junhui let his thoughts wander. At some point, he came to conclude that maybe he needed to find new friends. At the start of summer, he found out his best friend stalked his next door neighbor, then a few later, the same boy had talked him into breaking and entering into a (pseudo) witch apartment to snoop. Now Wonwoo was condoning fence-jumping _and_ breaking and entering into buildings. If Junhui had known that telling him would result in this, he would’ve waited. These sort of things made him so nervous, his hands shook restlessly the whole time.

Finally, after about fifteen minutes, Junhui heard some noise from the warehouse. A look through the gates showed Wonwoo coming out and fiddling with the lock. Before long, he was jogging toward him, carrying something grayish in his hand, almost like a scarf. As easily as he had gotten in, he jumped over.

“What did you find?” Junhui asked, stepping out of the flower bed without crushing any of them.

“Mr. Sanders’ panic attack was definitely induced,” Wonwoo concluded as the two walked back to the car. “This probably got torn off during the struggle,” he continued, showing him the piece of fabric in his hand.

It was a very interesting color, almost identical to smoke, and Junhui wanted to say that it resembled the consistency of smoke, too, if he didn’t know that that would be impossible. “You think this belongs to whoever was in there with Mr. Sanders? Was it really a burglar? But what about the snakes?”

“This piece of cloth belongs to Sanghun, one of the Elders,” he explained.

Junhui gaped. “What?”

“He wears a hood the majority of the time to avoid eye contact with people.”

“Does he turn people to stone like Medusa?” Junhui mumbled, a little afraid of the answer himself. After all, Medusa also had snakes.

Wonwoo chuckled drily. “No.If you lock eyes with him, he’s able to project your deepest fears right back into your mind.” Junhui shuddered. However, from the way Wonwoo spoke, the younger felt an ache in the pit of his stomach.

“Have... Have you ever made eye contact with him?” he asked softly.

The two had gotten to the car and stopped. Junhui could see his boyfriend’s reflection on the glass window and shiny paint. It wasn’t the same fear and anxiety that overcame him when his mother came to the Jeon House that one time. This was more controlled, hitting something deeper in Wonwoo’s soul. Something that now threatened to morph into fury.

“The short answer is yes,” he snapped, then took in a sharp intake of air. Shaking the sensation off, he cleared his throat and opened the passage door for Junhui. The latter got in, and he shut it. Junhui waited until Wonwoo got behind the wheel to ask for more details. Ones that wouldn’t probe too much into his past.

During those few seconds that it took him to walk around and get behind the wheel, the pieces finally clicked into place in the younger’s head. “Why would one of the Elders be in town and terrorize Mr. Sanders?”

“Good question,” he commented as he put the car in drive. “Maybe you should go ask him.”

“What?”

“He’s not gonna tell me,” Wonwoo replied in a obvious way, briefly looking over. “But you sort of saved his life, so maybe he’ll tell you what happened, exactly.”

Honestly, Junhui did not want to go anywhere near a grumpy old man made even more grumpy by a panic attack. But Junhui could see it in Wonwoo’s eyes and the way he spoke. He needed to know why this Sanghun person was in town. It’d been weeks since the ambush in the woods with Keegan. They both thought the Elders had left Wonwoo for dead among the humans. If that were the case, why had they sent someone into town to attack an old man?

On the way to the Sanders’ home, Wonwoo stopped by the nearest bakery to buy a peace offering as a pretense to come visit him. The driveway of Mr. Sanders’ house was as far as he went, though. For obvious reason, Junhui went to the door alone.

The minute from which he rung the doorbell and when Mrs. Sanders opened the door went by so slowly, he half hoped that no one was home.

“Oh. Hello, Junhui!” she greeted him with a large grin. Unlike her husband, Eleanor Sanders was the typical sweet grandmother, if only for one detail. “Beth and Ann thought you might show up.”

Smiling nervously, Junhui asked politely, “How are Beth and Ann doing lately?”

She beamed, happy that someone asked about the two crows she kept as pets. According to her, they were the sweetest and smartest birds, capable of predicting the future. To everyone else, they were harpies, always glaring at the guests as if they wanted to poke their eyes out.

“They’re great! Thank you for asking. Come in, come in,” she ushered him, handling the pie he offered. “What brings you over today?”

“I just wanted to check on Mr. Sanders and see how he’s doing,” Junhui said, following her to the kitchen.

“How nice of you,” she smiled, grabbing a mug and three dessert plates. “He’s right out in the living room.” She indicated in the generation direction, and Junhui hesitantly walked to where the old man was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper.

“Hello, Mr. Sanders,” he said softly, “How are you doing?”

The paper rustled as he set it aside to peer at him. “Ah, it’s you,” he grumbled, although maybe a little less hostile. “What are you doing here?”

“The dear brought us some pie!” his wife called as she came out with the pie already cut into slices, carrying the dessert plates and spoons. Junhui got up to help her put the items down.

“Oh,” Mr. Sanders grumbled, folding the paper in a neater pile.

There was small talk for a few minutes, then Mrs. Sanders shared a conversion with her birds standing on their perch, leaving Junhui alone with her husband to fend for themselves. Junhui decided to take his chance then.

“Are you feeling better today?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he grunted. “That didn’t kill me just yet.” He paused, eyeing the boy, then muttered, “I suppose I have you to thank.”

Junhui smiled, knowing that was the closest thing he would get to a thank you. “Do you remember what exactly brought on the panic attack?”

That question gave him pause. His sour look turned to a perplexed one. “Actually, I do,” he started. “I was stacking the ten-gallon flower pots when this... man came up to me. His hood covered his face, so I can’t determine his age, exactly. But out of the blue, he inquired whether I knew the Jeon boy. I said I did, and...” he paused again, thinking back to the event. “Somehow, he released all these snakes all around us. The next thing I knew, you were calling the ambulance.”

“You mentioned a few things when I found you,” Junhui prompted his memory. “What were you referring to? The man or the snakes?”

“Both, I suppose,” he said. “I did get a glimpse of the little buster, and he looked very much like the troublemakers that used to frequent Diamond Creek a few years ago. A bunch of vandals. A nuisance! Just seems like they make it their missions to come here and cause trouble every so often. My father and grandfather talked about them! Some people simply can’t live without wrecking one thing or another. I wish they would leave our town in peace. As if that Jeon murder case wasn’t enough!” His rant went on, but Junhui zoned out.

Well, he supposed this confirmed Wonwoo’s suspicions. But what were the Elders doing here decades ago? And what could they want now? Mr. Sanders mentioned Sanghun resembling another “vandal” he’d seen a few years ago. Could that coincide with the time that Wonwoo’s father appeared in town to turn Hana into a pseudo witch? This whole thing was seriously giving him a headache just by merely trying to understand and keep up with every detail. 

Junhui could see that this was all the useful information he’d get out of Mr. Sanders, though. After some polite conversation, he excused himself and took his leave.

Wonwoo started the engine as Junhui jogged to the car. Within a few minutes, he’d told him all he had learned.

“Sanghun asked if he knew me?” he repeated.

“Yeah, I found that strange, too.” Junhui thought for a second. “Could they just be doing this to stir up trouble for you? Out of spite?”

“It’s possible, I suppose,” Wonwoo replied, distracted. “Just seems like a waste of time for them, though.”

“What do you want us to do?”

Momentarily, Wonwoo stayed quiet, keeping his eyes straight on the road. Stopping at the red light, he turned and leaned close to him. “ _You_ don’t have to do anything.” He smiled ruefully. “I’ve put you through enough.” The light changed, and he pushed on the gas. “I’ll handle it, even if it means I’ll have to go back to the Clan.”

At the speed he was driving, it was no surprise that they stopped in the Wen driveway hardly five minutes later. Junhui noticed Minghao’s car parked, but there was no movement in the barn. The fact that he didn’t even turn to his painting in a moment like this spoke volume about how he felt about his breakup. Suddenly, the image of that lonely cup of coffee left on the table sprung to mind. Junhui hurt for them. Even when he thought that Hana deserved it, it was still a pretty steep price to pay. She chose the wrong way to love, and in the end it cut up both them to pieces. Like that cup of coffee.

“Whatever you do,” Junhui finally found the words to say to Wonwoo, “just promise me that you won’t go head first without telling me anything.” He looked over, seeing Wonwoo already studying him. “You’re kind of stuck with me, you know that?”

Chuckling, Wonwoo nodded. “Yeah. I haven’t forgotten.”

Junhui cracked a smile, staring into his palms. Then he took in a breath and composed himself. “It was hard enough to get out of the woods alive when we faced Keegan and his men, and that was with the two of us. I can’t even begin to imagine you going against them by yourself. I just—”

Wonwoo’s hand slipping into his quieted him. Junhui raised his eyes to meet his. Wonwoo tightened his fingers around his. “I promise.”

Their fingers tangled together. Maybe it was due to seeing Minghao and Hana’s last goodbye this afternoon, seeing the raw emotions there, and knowing that their relationship was based on so many lies, followed by realizing that maybe Wonwoo wasn’t as safe from his clan as Junhui had hoped. Whatever the reason may be, Junhui suddenly felt this overwhelming sense of protectiveness over him. Even though he knew that objectively he stood no chance against a clan of demons, he wanted to hold defend Wonwoo against them with whatever strength he could. He wanted to hold him tight and never let go.

What the couple shared might not be as lighthearted or flamboyant as most couples their age do, but Junhui found comfort in knowing that it was real. It took them a long time to get to this point, but it was worth it.

Wonwoo rested his forehead on his, a smile tugging the corner of his mouth. With his free hand, he reached up and cupped the boy’s face. “It’ll be okay, kitten. I’m not going anywhere.”

It was as if Junhui had spoken his thoughts out loud, and Wonwoo was responding to them. Junhui nodded wordlessly, fighting the sudden lump in his throat.

His eyes began to sting, and he knew Wonwoo would be able to see how red they turned. The older gently used his thumbs to stroke over his eyes. “It’s gonna be all right,” he smiled.

Normally, his smile would sooth him, but he was still filled with uneasiness and fear of the unknown.

“What if they come back to find you?” Junhui whispered. “To think that they would just leave things alone had been too naive.”

Wonwoo shifted so he could see him better. “Let’s just take it one day at a time, alright?” he said softly. “All our lives, we’ve been living more or less in the past, trying to fix it in order to change the future, while we’re supposed to live _now_. If they come, they come. Stop thinking about such dark thoughts,” he reproached playfully, poking his forehead and chuckling when the younger wrinkled his nose and pouted.

“I can’t help it,” he muttered.

“I’m a terrible boyfriend if spending time with me constantly evokes frightening images in your mind.”

Junhui laughed at that, amused at the playful tone Wonwoo so rarely used. “It’s not your fault,” he said. “Just a natural thought: if life can give you what you’ve always wished for, doesn’t that mean that it can just as easily take that person away from you?”

“Weren’t you the one who told me to take control of my life?” he teased with a grin, and Junhui smiled in return. “You're the most important person in my life now. It doesn’t matter what led me to you. I’m here, and I’m not going anywhere,” Wonwoo repeated. “Are you?”

Junhui shook his head. “As long as you’re with me, I won’t have to.”

Wonwoo’s expression was the brightest he had perhaps seen on the older’s face. Gently, he leaned forward and kissed him. “Good.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> dun dun dunnnnn~ the mystery thickens!
> 
> god, wonhui are so MUSHY lol
> 
> ok, to clear things up: soonyoung doesn't know wonu is a demon. he just calls him a demon (bc i like dramatic irony and i think it's funny) bc wonu looks imposing. all HS knows is that wonhui are dating
> 
> BUT FINALLY GYUHAO IS TAKING OFF ( •̀ᄇ• ́)ﻭ✧ (the only issue with them right now is that Hao is still kinda tethered to hana bc of the spell, so he can't fully love MG quite yet... BUT MG IS ALSO PART OF THE BEST BOYFRIEND CLUB SO HE IS TOTALLY THERE TO COMFORT AND SUPPORT HAO YEAHHHHH)
> 
> Next week, Detective Moon will team up with Detective Fox to form DETECTIVES WONHUI \\(*0*)/ We'll finally get some answers, so stay tuned 😉
> 
> As always, thank you very much for reading! see you on the next update!  
> xoxoxo


	27. Lock and Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonhui do some gardening and solve mysteries.

 

 

Half a week passed without any major shake-ups, for once. Apart from a few things, the routine began to settle in once more. Yesterday, _Tough as Nails_ opened its doors again. Because it had happened to Mr. Sanders rather than anyone else, his horrific encounter with the mystery man did not get spread all over town like an infectious disease. It was merely known that he had a panic attack and had stayed home for a few days to recuperate. As for Minghao and the matters at home, Junhui had been trying to stay clear as Wonwoo advised.

The day after the breakup, Minghao had locked himself in his room. Hyejin grew worried, as expected, and went to check up on him. When he shockingly screamed at her to leave him alone, Junhui realized things wouldn’t be as simple as he’d hoped. The effects of being away from Hana’s influence and her spells were starting to take effects on hisbrother’s moods. Right away, Junhui dialed Mingyu’s number, rushing him to the house.

A few minutes, the giant puppy had crashed through the entrance and tripped his way to the second floor, where he stood outside of Minghao’s door, panting. Junhui peeked from the corner of the staircase, watching as Mingyu talked lowly through the wood, head lowered to rest on it. Everything was so quiet, Junhui could hear his own heart pounding. Mingyu didn’t give up, though. He stood in the hall, softly coaxing his best friend out of the dark place. His efforts were rewarded eventually, when the door cracked open. Mingyu took his chance immediately, walking in and closing it behind him.

From his spot, Junhui could barely hear movements inside and Mingyu’s soothing voice. He lingered there for a bit longer, making sure his brother wouldn’t go through another episode. With the storm temporarily blowing over, he let out a breath and descended to the kitchen, where he reassured Hyejin that Minghao was okay.

So that she wouldn’t die of worry, he briefly explained the situation, leaving out the part that Hana used witchcraft on Minghao. Not only would it open a whole can of worms, it’ll only make their mother worry even more. For the most part, she seemed to accept his explanation, and he was glad.

After that day, the house dynamic shifted. Minghao’s temper could be set off at the drop of a hat, resulting everyone to walk on eggshells around him. The worst part was watching him tumble in guilt for causing his family so much torment and worry, in addition to suffering the “heartbreak.” It wasn’t his fault, and Junhui felt so helpless. The only ray of sunshine among the storm clouds was Mingyu’s presence. He visited everyday, dragging Minghao outside as long as he could. Having him nearby improved the melancholic painter’s mood greatly. Even if Minghao couldn’t laugh freely, he was definitely soothed by his best friend’s steady and loving presence.

If the pair decided to stay indoors, Junhui would spot them huddled together on the couch or in the barn. As per the norm lately, Mingyu cracked jokes or made comments about whatever topic, then peek at Minghao. The moment he’d see a hint of a smile, Mingyu’s grin would shine even brighter than the sun. Junhui was very grateful for him. With him around, Minghao actually returned to work within a few days, and his daily bursts of fury nearly dwindled to none. Still, Junhui didn’t want to risk accidentally setting him off, so he behaved himself as best as he could.

Because everything getting turned upside down,Wonwoo made the effort to come pick him up from home and drive him up to his house for work. At least up here, Junhui didn’t have to sit on pins and needles, walking on tiptoes for fear of upsetting his brother. Plus, up here, he could be of use.

This morning, after swinging by the plant nurseries for some seedlings and flowers, Junhui was helping beautify the Jeon House yard. He had to admit that when he first got on board with the project, he didn’t have high hopes that it would turn out very different from its original condition. However, he was glad to be proven wrong. Wonwoo really put the effort and the time into remodeling the house, both structurally and physically. At first glance, it was the same old house, but on closer inspection it was stronger and more radiant, if such a thing was even possible. There was something about it that simply made one think that it no longer seemed as lonely and forlorn. This was probably stretching it a little—and he surely never even thought of it—-but in a way, Wonwoo had managed to bring back life into these walls.

Satisfied with the state of the inside, he had spent today and the day before painting. First, he had applied a new coating to the outside of the house, then having finished that yesterday, he got started on the gates. From what Junhui could tell, the older was nearly finished with that, as well. While Wonwoo had been working, Junhui was busy reading up on the instructions for the various plants and mixing up the right amount of soil and other minerals for each type of flower they got. If Wonwoo planned on growing anything beyond wild grasses and weeds, they needed to add nutrients to the dirt. Right now, it was as tough as dried clay. Since Wonwoo had already cleared the yellowed and brittle wild shrubs, all Junhui needed to do was go around with his little bucket and ladle, sprinkling a good amount of powdery nutrients all over. Then he attached the hose and sprayed water everywhere.

Done with his task, Junhui went to lug the bags of garden soil from the shed. Apparently, Wonwoo had already drawn out a detailed plan on how he wanted his garden to look like. He had been buying so much soil, Junhui idly wondered if the stores in town even had any left. The Jeon property was far from small. If Wonwoo’s vision were to come true, he wouldn’t be surprised if they’d have to go to another town for more supplies. At least they wouldn’t be lacking the manpower. Well, speaking for Wonwoo. As a human (whose only exercise routine involved walking around), Junhui had his limits.

Dragging a seemingly unlimited amount of soil bags under the hot sun got tiring really fast. Junhui decided to take a break. He plopped down on the ground, using his sun hat to fan himself as he downed an entire bottle of water. Absentmindedly, he leaned back on his palm and examined the patch of dirt in front of him, recalling what was supposed to go there according to the detailed plans. A shadow blocked the sun and fell over his shoulders. Turning around, Junhui saw Wonwoo standing over him, matching his gaze to where the younger’s had been.

“What are you staring at?” Wonwoo asked, glancing down at him.

“Just trying to remember what your crazy notes said,” he chuckled. “It’s so hot…” Whining, he flopped over to lean against the older’s legs.

Wonwoo snorted, pushing him away momentarily to sit next to him. Junhui immediately latched onto his arm. “Sticking yourself to me isn’t gonna make it any cooler.”

The boy giggled and sat up. “Are you done painting?”

“Mm.” Wonwoo felt his head. “You’ve been under the sun for too long.”

“But we’re not done.”

“There’s no rush. Nothing needs to be done today.”

Junhui arched a brow, giving him a skeptical look. “Have you already forgotten what you wrote? If we even hope to finish before fall arrives, we gotta get moving!” Turning pensive, he tapped his chin. “Although making giant piles of leaves and jumping into them sounds fun, too.”

That got the older laughing, and he patting the boy’s head. “Aren’t you a little too old for that?”

“Nope!” He grinned widely, and Wonwoo laughed again.

The couple moved to the shade of the nearest tree, chatting for a few minutes, then decided to start on the smallest patch of dirt next to the porch. Prioritizing the façade seemed like a smart idea. Wonwoo went to get the soil, while Junhui carefully picked up the trays of seedlings they bought yesterday.

Setting all the baby plants and bulbs underground took a bit longer than expected. Some large rocks and old roots filled the area, so they had to dig them out systemically. Only then could they follow the steps on the instructions of the nutrient bags, and then place each seedling in the right place. By early afternoon, they had planted everything and given the patches plenty of water. The only things remaining were the small pots of daisies and roses. Since they were still in full bloom, Junhui thought that it would be nice to have them decorate the inside of the house to brighten the place even more.

He and Wonwoo stacked them neatly into a cardboard box, and Wonwoo carried everything inside. Standing in the foyer, they contemplated the best spots to put them when Junhui remembered that he saw some cute flower pot stands in the attic weeks ago.

“Do you have a particular spot in mind?” he asked him, noticing that Wonwoo seemed to be assessing in deep thoughts.

“Somewhere bright without direct sunlight, maybe? Let’s not fry them.”

Junhui giggled. “I think they should be fine with sunlight,” he commented, giving the flowers and gentle pat. “My mom says they’re pretty sturdy as long as they get proper water.”

Wonwoo nodded. “Then let’s put one around here, by the window.”

“Is it okay if we go raid the attic? I’m pretty sure I saw some nice stands we can use to put the pots on.”

“Sure,” he agreed.

They left the flowers on the side cabinet, then headed upstairs.

The attic, much like it looked in his head, was dusty and cluttered. Thankfully, at some point Wonwoo had gone up and opened the window so it wasn’t as stuffy as the first time Junhui set foot in here. Although, spying the piano in the corner did bring back fond memories, followed by an intense blush upon remembering what happened afterward. He shook his head, focusing on their moment at the piano instead of the naughty thoughts.

The soft lullaby that Wonwoo had played, and everything that happened after that came rushing back to him. Inhaling deeply, Junhui found himself smiling quietly. He glanced at Wonwoo, who was already walking to the other side of the room, and Junhui thought about how much had changed in mere weeks between them. Wonwoo had gone from someone Junhui was deadly afraid of to one of the people he couldn’t see himself live without. The change, however gradual, hit its climax in this room, at that very piano.

“What are you daydreaming about?” Wonwoo asked with a chuckle, pulling him away from the reverie.

Laughing, Junhui shook his head and walked toward the piano. “The first time I came up here and when you showed up.”

His expression softened, and he smiled. “Imagine my surprise when I woke up and heard the piano playing up here.”

“Why was it that you seemed to know that lullaby?” Junhui wondered.

Taking a moment, his hand dropped from the top of the old dresser. “I’m... not sure, actually. Once I heard the first part played...” he left the sentence hanging, lost for words. “How did _you_ know about it?”

Back then, they had been so caught up in the moment, all these questions were never asked and never answered. Now seemed like the time for them to come into light. “I was just messing around, and then the little compartment popped open. The sheet music was hidden inside, so I took them out and tried to play the melody.” He pointed to the papers still laid out.

“They were hidden?” Wonwoo repeated with a puzzled expression, picking the sheets up and glancing at them for a second. “That’s weird.”

“Considering everything that’s been happening, I think it sort of falls into the ‘normal’ category, actually,” Junhui commented with a laugh. “Does it even have a name?”

He shrugged. “I have no idea. I just know it, like an old song I’ve heard a long time ago coming back to me.”

“Hmm,” Junhui thought quietly.

Suddenly, they heard this strange scratching noise, on and off. Meeting each other’s gaze, they stood still and tried to determine where it originated from. At first, nothing seemed to be emitting that sound. As quietly as they could, they walked around the boxes and chests, removing covers and drapes in hopes of figuring out what it was. Moving to the left seemed to lead him off-course—the scratching sounded fainter. Junhui retraced his steps.

Wonwoo seemed to be doing better, though, most likely because he actually knew what he was doing. A hunter by nature, nothing less was to be expected. At this point, Junhui just stood there watching him move swiftly between the items, zeroing in on the source. He got to a large surface covered by a gray drape; Junhui thought it must have been a table with different size things resting on it. Not hesitating, Wonwoo tugged on the corner of the cloth and flipped it over.

A frightened, tiny, yellow bird squawked in alarm, jumping backward only to be caught in the wires. That table wasn’t really a table, but the platform used to house a model of the town. All the buildings, houses, streets, and people were either made out of wood or paper. It looked incredible. The poor little bird got its feet caught in the wires used as a fence for one of the buildings.

“It must have gotten in through the window,” Wonwoo guessed, glancing behind him at the open frame. With good intentions, he stepped forward and tried to disengage the victim from its current trap, but the animal didn’t understand. It got even more terrified, yanking hard on the string, scaring Junhui for a second; he thought it might have ripped its leg from its body. Startled, Wonwoo moved back, giving it distance. “Maybe you should do it,” he suggested.

The words were on the tip of his tongue: _what difference did it make if I tried? It would still be terrified by my presence._ But then Minsoo’s words popped up in his head: “ _Most creatures can sense what he is, and they stay away from the land.”_

Nodding, Junhui kept his thoughts to himself and stepped closer. The look on Wonwoo’s face when the bird reacted gave Junhui a sharp ache in the pit of his stomach. As if for the first time, he fully realized the impact of what Wonwoo’s demonic nature can evoke in people. Something that once made him proud.

“It’s okay,” Junhui whispered quietly, “I’m not gonna hurt you.” Gently, he cupped his hand over its fluffy body, then used the other to detach the wires. Not all that different from how it reacted to Wonwoo, the bird chirped in alarm and attempted to get away. Junhui pushed on, though, not letting go. Untangling strings was hard enough without a live animal; having one there just added more pressure.

Eventually, Junhui got it sorted out, but he felt like he’d just taken one of the hardest finals of the year. His body was flushed, blood pumping hard through his system. Carefully, he held the bird in his hands and walked to the open window. He opened his hand and set it down on the ledge then watched it. It took the bewildered animal a second to get its bearings, puffing out its fur. Its little head turned back to stare at them, then it flew away. The couple looked after it until they could no longer distinguish the bird from the view.

“Are you okay?” Junhui asked, turning around.

Wonwoo wasn’t looking at him; he was still staring out the window even though there was nothing else to see.

“Hey,” Junhui called, pulling on his shirt until he glanced down at him. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he replied, putting on a grin.

Junhui didn’t buy it. “You’re not gonna let a little bird shake you up, are you?” He teased, and this time his smile was somewhat more genuine.

However, he said somberly, “I should stop pretending.”

“Pretending what?”

“To be human.”

Staring up at him, Junhui put a hand over his chest. “But you _are_ human.”

He shook his head, holding the younger’s hand in his, but didn’t pull it away. “You know that’s only relatively true. Pretending to be something I’m not isn’t going to help anyone. I tried to be an Alcaeusian with disastrous consequences. Being human isn’t exactly working out, either.”

“How about just being you?”

Smiling faintly, he gave him a patient look. “Jun.”

“No, I’m serious. Stop living like that. You aren’t defined based on _what_ you are. It’s _who_ you are that matters.” Pausing, he bit his lip, deliberating for a second. “At least to me.”

Wonwoo sighed. “I can’t simply erase my past and what I am. One day, those things are going to come back, and people around me are going to have to pay the price. Like Mikyung and Taeseung.”

“She wasn’t murdered.”

“But her husband was,” he reminded him in a stern voice. “She killed herself because she couldn’t take it.”

At that moment, the pair heard a crack like a piece of glass shattering. It was so loud, Junhui jumped in the air, hands covering his head. Wonwoo quickly went over to the crime scene: a mirror propped on a small table. Ugly cracks radiated out from a single point on the upper right of the oval mirror. Upon closer inspection, though, nothing around could have caused it to break like that. Ignoring the fact that a broken mirror could mean seven years of bad luck, this was simply creepy. First the bird and now this. Only the bird could easily be explained. This mirror breaking out of nowhere, however, could not. To make it even more freaky, there were no pieces on the ground. Everything stayed intact, just cracked.

“Do you think what they say about the house is true?” Junhui whispered, gripping onto Wonwoo’s arm like his life depended on it, looking around them in a worried manner.

“What do they say about it?” Wonwoo asked, a lot calmer than Junhui was feeling.

“That it’s haunted!” he hissed.

“Haunted,” the other repeated, arching an eyebrow incredulously.

“Yes, that was the main reason I didn’t want to come work here when my mom first mentioned it,” I explained. “Mirrors that break by themselves _definitely_ go in the ‘pro haunted’ group.”

Wonwoo didn’t comment on that analysis, instead he tried to unhook the younger’s fingers around his arm. Junhui didn’t realize how hard he had griped him until he saw the pink half-moons left behind by his nails. Wonwoo’s whole forearm soon turned red.

“I’m so sorry!” Junhui apologized, rubbing the surface to try to make everything disappear.

“It’s fine,” Wonwoo said, stopping his hand. “Let’s just figure out what happened before you call Ghostbusters or an exorcist on the scene,” he said drily.

“Ha, you are hilarious,” Junhui muttered.

While Wonwoo investigated around the area, Junhui bent over with his hands on his knees to get a closer look at the surface of the mirror. Seeing his reflection on a shattered piece of glass was a strange sensation; he tried not to linger too much. His eyes were wandering lower around the stand and the table, when something on the glass caught his eye. He looked up, expecting to see Wonwoo’s reflection, causing the movement that got his attention. All he saw, though, was himself. _Weird_. Waving it off as his overactive imagination, he examined the drawers under the table.

Something fleeting flew across his vision again. Instinctively, his eyes flashed up at the mirror. He froze. The scream got stuck in his throat, and all he could do was stare with round eyes.

A young woman in her early thirties with dark hair was looking right at him on the other side of the glass. Immediately, he recognized her face as the one in almost all the pictures in the house. Jeon Mikyung. She was wearing a white gown, her eyes sad, but sharp. Even though Junhui couldn’t find his voice out of sheer fright, he managed to notice the room behind her. It was the attic, reflected through the mirror. It was as if she was standing on the other side of the panel and the mirror was the only thing separating her from him. The world of the living and the dead, so similar, yet very different. For one, on her side of the glass, the objects appeared new like they had just been stacked up here, whereas the scene around him was covered in dust and tarps. Was he seeing her in her own time?

Junhui watched as she backed away and moved to the model of the town, where the bird had been stuck earlier. At the table, she looked at him as if wanting to say something, then turned her attention to the model. Before he could understand anything, she vanished. All that was left was his reflection in the broken mirror.

_What in the world had just happened?_

Confused, he squinted his eyes and inspected the broken glass, running his fingertips along the surface. He should’ve felt the cracks, even a tiny bit, but it was all smooth. Could she have somehow broken it from the other side? He was beginning to get a headache, and his arms were covered in goosebumps.

“Found something?” Wonwoo asked, startling him.

“Uh,” he hesitated, turning to face him. “Sort of, yes.”

Wonwoo gave him a strange look. “What happened? Did you see a ghost?” he half joked.

“Yeah, about that...” Junhui opened his mouth to add more, but no words came. Wonwoo stared at him, waiting for the rest of the sentence. “I’m gonna uphold my view that this house is haunted, at least the attic is.”

Still not understanding what had gotten into the boy, Wonwoo just looked at him.

“Call me crazy if you want, but I just saw Mikyung in here,” he pointed accusingly to the mirror. “And I am positive she was trying to tell me something about that model over there.” Wonwoo looked over his shoulder briefly at the piece. “My guess is, by some means, she was able to hear us talk about her and she got slightly angry. She broke the mirror.”

“What makes you say that?” Now Junhui was sure Wonwoo was only continuing this conversation to humor him.

“Because we can’t find anything that could’ve made that fracture,” Junhui numbered the reasons off, “when I ran my fingers over it, there was no trace that it was broken at all, and third, I _totally saw her in it!_ ”

“Alright, alright,” he relented seeing how worked up Junhui got. “So now you want us to examine this model?” he inquired, going over to it. “What are we supposed to find?”

“I don’t know,” he said sadly, “she disappeared too quickly for me to see what she was doing.”

“Must have been a bad connection,” he noted sarcastically.

“Would you take this seriously for a second?” Junhui swatted his arm. “It could be important.”

“Right.”

Junhui didn’t like the way he responded. “What is your problem, exactly? You’ve been acting weird since we saved the bird.”

“Since _you_ saved the bird,” Wonwoo corrected him. “And I don’t know what’s going on, just being up here...” he struggled to find the right words. Instead of completing his thoughts, he started to pick at the fake grass and rooftops, just to test out the materials. “Let’s just see what it is Mikyung wanted you to see here,” he sighed, deciding to drop the subject.

If they were in some other situation, Junhui would have pursued the matter further. Moreover, Junhui would have asked him why he didn’t seem more agitated at the confession that his boyfriend saw his ancestor’s ghost through a mirror. Junhui knew _he_ was pretty freaked out by it. However, as much as it shook him up, he didn’t feel threatened. In fact, a peaceful and tranquil mood gradually surrounded the couple as they scrutinized the tiny town.

Without a doubt, Taeseung designed and built the replica of the town back in the day. Most it resembled how Diamond Creek looked like now, albeit minor changes such as more concrete and tar roads, cars, more buildings and houses. Junhui could, however, recognize some key corners that have endured the passage of time. The old Town Hall still stood proudly on Main St. as it did back then, although now all the city clerks and documents had been moved to the new property downtown. Mr. Sanders’ house was in the exact same spot, so were the library and a few other shops. It was truly impressive and beautiful. Because new additions had to be made to Diamond Creek to accommodate the growing populations, he noted that the smaller streets on this model no longer existed in real life.

Wonwoo absently drummed a beat at the edge of the table, and Junhui looked up. He had that strange pensive air again. When the older saw him staring, he commented, “This was as close to the town as they got.”

Somberly, Junhui nodded. Again, they were reminded that the Jeons were always seen and treated as outsiders, never truly fitting in with the habitants of Diamond Creek.

Sighing, Junhui cast another look over the roads, only to notice one that made him pause: _Blackmoor Rd_. Wasn’t that the word he found under the bed of the Red Room? Not telling Wonwoo yet, he scanned the rest of the street signs, looking for another word that had come up during his investigation. There it was: Claire Ave. The two streets intersected in an area that he wasn’t very familiar with. Since the streets were so insignificant in comparison to the others that remained to this day, he couldn’t really picture where Blackmoor Rd and Claire Ave. were today.

Glancing over to look for Wonwoo, Junhui realized that he had left the replica at some point, and gone over to the piano, leafing through the sheet music of the mysterious lullaby. “Wonwoo,” he called him over. “Come over a minute.”

“What is it?” he asked, approaching, still holding the sheets.

“Remember when I told you I found those weird messages around the house and we tried to find more and make sense of them?” Junhui started.

“Yeah,” he said slowly, getting an idea of where this was going. “You finally figured out what they mean?”

“Almost,” he pointed to the road. “Blackmoor and Claire. Does that ring a bell?” Wonwoo’s eyes flashed brightly as he leaned over. “They’re not on the current map of the town, but they have to mean something important.”

He took a moment to think, probably visualizing where the general area was relative to today’s map. “I think I know where this could be. It’s around the field behind the high school.”

“Are you sure?” In his head, the neighborhood around Diamond Creek High didn’t look anything even remotely as this model. He should know, having spent four years of his life there.

“Yeah, here.” Wonwoo set the sheet music down and walked around to his side. “The high school is on Sheridan, right? If you go North on Sheridan, you hit the church, which is here,” he pointed to one of the only two churches they had in town. “See it yet?”

Junhui hesitated. He saw Sheridan Road and the church fine, but his brain simply wasn’t made to see the rest as easily. Especially since the high school wasn’t built until 1947, a good decade after the Jeons died. “I don’t really see it, but if you’re sure, then I’ll trust you.”

“What could be there, though?” Wonwoo wondered.

“Maybe they hid something,” the other guessed, “so that no one would be able to find it here.”

He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, inhaling deeply. “Would it be too much to ask for some absolution once in a while?” Sighing, he dropped his hand and announced, “Well, there’s only one way to find out. You coming with?”

That caught him a little off-guard. “Uh, sure. Let me just...” He pulled his phone out to snap a picture of the model, just in case they’d get lost. “Can you remove the papers? Thanks.”

Wonwoo grabbed the pieces of paper too haphazardly, and a few of them fell to the ground. While he picked them up, Junhui took a couple shots to be sure.

“‘Time is the key’?” When he stood up, Wonwoo was examining the back of one piece of sheet music. The writing was faded and done quickly, like when someone jotted down a few words as a reminder to themselves. “More puzzles. Fantastic,” he mumbled ironically.

“Wait, I think I know what that is!” Junhui exclaimed, suddenly remembering the little key he had found way back then. It was so long ago, he’d almost forgotten about it. “In the nursery, I was playing around with the bird clock,” he explained as he pulled out his set of keys, easily spotting the old and worn out one. “And then a little chamber opened and this key fell out.” He unhooked it from the rest and handed it to him. “That note has to refer to this.”

He held the object and examined it, turning it over a few times. “You think whatever is at the intersection of Blackmoor and Claire is locked with this key?”

“Yeah! It makes sense, doesn’t it? In the Red Room, I found the word Blackmoor. The pictures in the parlor spelled out Claire, and the embroidery work with the lullaby title _Au Clair de la Lune_ was hung in the same room. That tune played on this piano got us the secret music sheets for the other lullaby, where the location of the key is written, sort of,” Junhui stated. “And when the clock in the nursery was set in that particular way, we got the key. Putting everything together on this model gets us the location and the means to open whatever is there!”

Letting a whistle, Wonwoo glanced at the model, then at the broken mirror. He didn’t add any comments on that, though. Not until the couple got in the car and made their way to the high school. It was hardly five thirty in the afternoon. Despite it being summer, the neighborhood still got a reasonable amount of foot traffic. They decided to wait across the street from the school until it was late enough that no one would notice them walking around the empty field.

As they waited in silence, Junhui thought back to the mirror and how Wonwoo had acted. He didn’t appear to be fazed by it at all, not a little bit concerned that his great-grandmother had apparently showed up via a mirror.

“I’ve seen her before, you know.”

“What?” Turning his face away from the window, Junhui studied his profile. Wonwoo had his arm propped on the open window, his eyes staring forward.

“Mikyung,” he clarified. “I’ve seen her a few times. Technically, I guess you can say the house is haunted.” A shiver ran down Junhui’s spine at that moment. Not so much because he was afraid of Mikyung’s ghost, but just the thought of a place being haunted gave him chills. “At times, I’d see her fleetingly in reflective surfaces, and every time I met her eyes, they would always depict disappointment.” Glancing at him now, Wonwoo said, “That’s why I was such an ass. I can’t stand to see that look.” Sighing, he turned away from the younger. “Seeing it on my mother’s face was enough.” He leaned his head back against the seat. “Until you told me that you saw her, too, I thought it was only a figment of my imagination. Realizing that she was ‘real’... I don’t know, I just reacted badly.”

“I don’t think she’s disappointed in you, Wonwoo,” Junhui said quietly. “She might be disappointed in herself for not being able to help you through these trying times. How long have you been seeing her?”

He shrugged. “A couple days after I settled in, I suppose.”

“Then she must have seen you struggle with those identity crises and deciding which way was the right one to follow.”

“Your interpretation is very sweet,” he commented with a smile, “But I’m afraid facts aren’t that forgiving.”

Junhui didn’t know how to respond. Anything he said now, Wonwoo would dismiss as an effort to try to make him feel better. Instead, Junhui decided to do the asking. “Doesn’t it kind of disturb you? Seeing her, I mean. I know I was pretty freaked out about it.”

He chuckled. “A little in the beginning, but then I got used to it. It _is_ her house after all. It’s only natural that her soul lingers there. To be honest, after the first few times, I completely ignored the sightings,” he admitted. “God knows I had plenty on my plate already.” With a sigh, he concluded, “She only appeared during the first week I moved here, after that I thought I’d managed to put an end to it.”

Needless to say, Junhui saw where he was coming from. At the time the sightings made themselves known to him, Wonwoo had still harbored harsh and unkind feeling toward Mikyung. The last thought on his mind would be to listen to what she might be willing to tell him.

“Maybe...” Junhui hesitated, “Maybe her appearance is an omen,” he thought aloud. “Remember how within two weeks of your arrival the house caught fire?”

He glanced at him. “I can think of something before that even more serious.” Junhui matched his gaze, unable to recall what could have been worse than the fire on the Fourth of July. With a smirk, he gave the boy’s knee a squeeze. “Your secret got out.”

“Oh,” Junhui bit his bottom lip. “Right, that was a scary afternoon.”

He laughed slightly, then the laughter died out. “If that time Mikyung was attempting to warn me about the Elders hiding the truth about us and the Crystals, what is she leading us here for?” His piercing eyes stared straight forward at the field, as if seeking to peel back the covers of grass and earth to find the answer.

They waited in the car until it was dark enough for them to go unnoticed. Wonwoo drove to the other side of the street and parked close by. From the trunk, they took out a couple flashlights, which were more for Junhui’s benefit that Wonwoo’s use, and left the shovels in place until they knew what they’d use them for. It was unwise to wander around carrying shovels at dusk. With just flashlights, they could make some lie about looking for something silly if someone were to come across. Junhui was hoping it wouldn’t come to that.

At first, it was rather terrifying. Combine the fear of getting caught plus the anxiety that came along with walking around at night in a secluded location, and that would be how he felt for the first few minutes. The thick foliage rustled in the summer breeze, swaying back and forth, making it seem darker than normal. The low visibility, despite the beams of flashlight, caused him to tread slowly with caution in case he’d trip over some stupid rock and twist his ankle. The slower he walked, though, the farther ahead Wonwoo ended up. Pride had led Junhui to tell him that he was just fine on his own. Naturally, _Wonwoo_ was fine in the dark. He didn’t jump at every little noise, nor fear that someone from the shadows might leap out and kill him. Junhui’s hands, however, were starting to shake.

How big was this field? During the daytime, its length never seemed so long. Still, Wonwoo kept advancing, shining his light left to right in a systemic fashion in order to not miss anything important. He was at least fifty feet ahead of the younger now. What were the chances that some psycho lived around here and decided to turn Junhui into his next victim? One stab, one slash, one hit would be all it took to send him tumbling down the nightmares for months, even if Wonwoo caught the creep.

With those thoughts, his imagination kicked in, and it definitely sounded like there was another set of footsteps besides their own. Chills broke out throughout his entire body. The footsteps were steady, heavy, and almost too faint to make out from the rustling of the leaves. And they were coming closer behind him. On the verge of hysterics, Junhui whipped the flashlight toward the trees behind him.

Empty.

He shuddered in spite of the warm air.

Out of nowhere, a hand grabbed his shoulder. He shrieked, impulsively whacking the intruder over the head (or close to it) with his flashlight and kicked wildly in the generation direction of the person’s shin. Only his attempt was blocked by a hand grabbing his raised wrist, another blocked the kick, and before he could try anything else, the light was yanked out of his hands and thrown to the ground.

“Junhui! What the hell are you doing?” A very pissed Wonwoo demanded, one hand still gripping his wrist.

“Oh, my god,” Junhui breathed, resting his free hand over his chest and breathed out in relief. “You scared the crap out of me!” he hissed, but easily leaned into his chest when Wonwoo pulled him in.

“And you almost knocked me unconscious,” he muttered, “so I say we’re even.”

A dry chuckle later, Junhui told him it was because he heard footsteps following after him. Obviously, it was all in his head because they were still standing here in the dark by themselves.

“Well, now that that’s settled,” Wonwoo said, “Stand still.” He let the younger stand by himself and put his hands on his shoulders. “Do you feel it?”

At first, Junhui had no idea what he was talking about. All he could feel was his heartbeat still going crazy under his shirt from the adrenaline. Slowly though, as they both waited for Junhui’s heart to gradually fall back into a normal rhythm, he did begin to feel _something_. “Is that static?” he whispered, looking up at him.

“Not exactly,” Wonwoo answered. “Just try to focus on it.”

Junhui did as he said, and soon the former found that whatever it was, it felt strong. The kind of strength that would emit from a source of energy. “What is it?” he asked.

“The last Stone,” Wonwoo replied in awe. “That’s what’s hidden here.” Wonwoo took the boy’s hand and tightened his hold. “It was a very faint signal earlier, but we might have a better chance of finding it together.”

Junhui didn’t need to ask to guess that maybe the Crystals in them could help in locating that source of energy. This meant that Wonwoo wasn’t sent here in vain. The last Stone had been here all this time. So Mikyung was trying to guide them here? Why now? Why had she waited all this time to do so? Perhaps she needed Wonwoo to first find out the truth about himself and the Elders. Junhui wasn’t sure of any of the answers to those questions, but right now the only thing that mattered was to find the location of that Stone.

Wonwoo took the lead and began marching through with determination in every step. After a good distance, Junhui began to suspect that following him was more beneficial to Wonwoo than himself in terms of sensing the Stone. While Wonwoo picked it up quite easily, Junhui still had a hard time feeling any change from the starting point. But then again, Wonwoo had mentioned a while back how it was his specific knack for locating magical artifacts that got him this mission in the first place. So it made sense.

Abruptly, Wonwoo stopped, and Junhui almost fell against his backpack. “It’s here,” he announced, glancing all around them.

Junhui did the same, seeing nothing.

“Stay here. I’ll go grab the shovels.” Junhui’s eyes flashed, widening. Wonwoo patted his head. “Close your eyes and count to ten.”

Seriously, Junhui wished he wasn’t such a scaredy-cat sometimes. If his head hadn’t conjured up the creepy footsteps earlier, he wouldn’t be as scared. Anyway, he couldn’t let himself be more of a wuss after Wonwoo had said that. So reluctantly, Junhui closed his eyes and muttered the numbers under his breath. He didn’t hear him leave, neither did he hear him come back.

“Nine.”

“Ten,” Wonwoo finished, flashing him a satisfied and somewhat cocky grin when Junhui snapped his eyes open in shock. “Let’s get digging.”

Thankfully, the ground was soft. They dug in silence for a while, his labored breathing soon competing with the sound of the shovels hitting the dirt. Wonwoo worked fast. Junhui had to watch his footing, lest he fell through the quickly widening and deeper opening. Once their heads were a couple feet below ground level, Wonwoo’s shovel hit something with a _thunk_. He let out a small, excited laugh.

“Let me grab the flashlight!” Junhui exclaimed, leaning the shovel to the side to free his hand and illuminate the space at their feet. The first thing Junhui noticed (after wincing at the brightness) was how filthy their shoes and jeans looked. The second thing he picked up on was a piece of a wooden trapdoor.

“Whoa!” he exclaimed. “How can this had gone unnoticed for all these years?”

Wonwoo shrugged, not exactly preoccupied with that as much as what was behind the door. Junhui could see the contained eagerness through his movements as he resumed the digging to clear all the dirt from the door and give them room to stand on. Once done, he knelt to check the handle.

“There’s no keyhole,” Wonwoo commented as he heaved the plank upward.

While his hands were busy, Junhui held the flashlight. Now that the door was open, he peered carefully down the darkness, his blood pumping wildly at the possibility of what could be down there. Fortunately for his heart, nothing more exciting than a ladder came into sight of the light beam.

“I’ll go down first,” Wonwoo volunteered. “Just to make sure there’s no monster under here.” He laughed.

Junhui rolled his eyes.

He kept the light on him until Wonwoo reached the bottom, which was no more than twenty feet below, making him feel a little better. Junhui followed after him. Before he knew it, they were walking down a dark and dank tunnel armed with nothing but flashlights.

“This could go for miles,” Junhui said after a long time, the anxiety slowly making its way into his voice.

Wonwoo stayed silent for a second, then checked his watch. “If we don’t find anything in the next half hour, we go back.” Junhui agreed with a nod, hoping with all his might that they _would_ find something. How disappointing it would be to go all this way and find nothing.

Twenty minutes later, they came to a wall. Or rather, a door. It was intricately designed, much in the same style as the furniture at the Jeon House. Taeseung must have dug this tunnel and built the room behind this door. The couple shared a look as they approached.

“The key has to open this door,” Wonwoo stated.

Indeed, upon close inspection, there was a keyhole. Junhui dug for the key and inserted it into the lock. He held his breath as he turned it, and the mechanism clicked. With a soft push from Wonwoo, the door creaked open, revealing a small circular room made of stone. All around were shelves, stocked with some books and cases of all sizes.

“It’s somewhere in here,” Wonwoo muttered, referring to the Stone. “But I can’t pinpoint it, so let’s just jump in.”

Wonwoo walked up to the nearest surface and picked up a book at random. Quickly, he flipped through it, reading passages here and there. He set it down, moving to the next one over and did the same.

At the end of the third book, Junhui asked, “What is it?”

“These are transcription of the history of the Alcaeusians,” he exclaimed. “Taeseung must have kept these as a last token of his heritage.”

From his tone, Junhui knew Wonwoo needed a moment to himself as those books were just as important to him as they had been to Taeseung. These books were priceless, filled with history and information.

Since Wonwoo was already examining the right side, Junhui moved along to the shelves on the left to see what they contained. While the books might prove fascinating,he wasn’t certain he could even understand what the text depicted. Hence, the small and pretty boxes picked his interest. They looked like props from a fairytale movie set.

He opened the first box, and his jaw dropped. It was full of jewelry, old-fashioned necklaces and bracelets. Throughout his life, he’d never been materialistic enough to obsess over diamonds (mostly because he couldn’t afford them, but that was besides the point). However, he was no idiot. These looked beautiful, so precious that he didn’t dare touch them. All he could do was stare. Now he realized that he never saw anything as valuable as these in the Jeon House. Did Mikyung and Taeseung use this place as their secret treasure room?

Carefully, he closed the lid and turned his attention to another box. This one contained letters. He picked one at random and read the first few lines, but then put it back. They were love letters, and it was simply too personal, too much like sticking his nose into their private lives that he couldn’t keep going. There were more trinkets the next several cases he looked in, which he examined and carefully returned to their positions. No magical Stone, though.

The few times he turned to find Wonwoo, he would see him absorbed in a book, scanning through its content before setting it down to grab another. Idly, he wondered how much information those pages contained.

As he walked along the wall toward the center of the arc, he tripped over something on the floor. Shining the light beam downward, he noted that a part of the shelf was sticking out. Upon closer scrutiny, it wasn’t the shelf itself, but a compartment embedded into the wall. He set the flashlight down and attempted to pry it open. No success. He fell on his backside with an ungraceful _umph!_ That was enough to pull Wonwoo away from his thoughts.

“Junnie? Are you okay?” he asked, his voice somewhere on the right, looking for him.

“I’m fine,” the boy groaned, getting up. “I thought I could open this thing, but apparently not.”

Wonwoo came over and took a look. Glancing at him, he knelt down and after a few strained tries, he managed to wrench the section open. “Whew,” he breathed out, although not appearing tired at all. “This better be worth something.”

When they shone the lights in, whatever inside reflected it back ten times brighter. With startled groans, they both fell backward, shielding their eyes. There was no more need for artificial lighting. The whole room was lit in an amber glow, emitted from the little chamber. Wonwoo got back to his feet and crawled toward the opening.

His expression changed from resolute to stunned.

“What is it?” Junhui asked as he pulled himself next to him. “Is that it?”

“That’s it. We found it.”

The Stone glowed a beautiful amber color. It didn’t have a defined shape, more like unpolished quartz. Sharp and rough, bright.

Cautiously, Wonwoo reached in and picked it up. Now that it sat in his palms, its glow started to dwindle. “What’s happening?” Junhui asked in alarm. “Shouldn’t it glow brighter?”

At that moment they heard something down the hall. Considering how quiet it was down here, if neither one of them spoke, they would be able to hear a pin drop. Immediately, Wonwoo swiftly went to the door and listened.

“Someone’s coming,” he warned, not waiting for the younger to react. He closed the door and locked it. They both knew, though, that if the person wasn’t human, that door wouldn’t do much to stop them. “There has to be another way out.”

They upturned every inch of the room as quietly as they could, and as fast as they could. The adrenaline kicked in, and Junhui worked efficiently, desperate to find an exit. All he could see, though, was a hard wall, no opening. The footsteps got louder as they approached them. They were trapped.

“Junhui!” Wonwoo called. His fierce tone momentarily slapped some senses into him, stopping the panic. Junhui looked over to his side. Wonwoo had found a tunnel, previously hidden by the book cases, hardly big enough for him to even get through. “Let’s go!”

From the corner of his eye, Junhui saw the box containing all those lovely letters and old photos, and without thinking, he grabbed it under his arm before running for the exit. Wonwoo didn’t leave empty handed, either. Besides the Stone, he seized as many books as his bag could hold, then followed after him. Hardly had they gone ten feet that the intruder beat down on the door with so much force that the ground trembled.

“Don’t think about it,” Wonwoo told him, giving his back a push, “Keep going.”

Taking in a deep breath, Junhui made himself move faster down the passage. The fright shook his entire body, though, and it was a miracle he even made it so far. Gradually, the height of the shaft increased enough that they could start running, albeit still crouched over. It wasn’t long, however, that the smell of smoke reached them.

The treasure room! The intruder must have burned it down, and Junhui was positive he was there to kill more than the memories stored in that place. Even if the fire couldn’t reach the pair, the intruder counted on the smoke to do the job. Junhui’s lungs quickly filled with smoke. The more he breathed to get the oxygen to his muscles, the harder he coughed. Smoke stung his eyes, and the tears blurred his vision. Behind him, he heard Wonwoo’s coughing fit. He had it worse than him, and they wouldn’t be able to withstandit much longer. 

Both their visions impaired, they couldn’t see it coming. All of a sudden, Junhui was falling and hit the ground hard; Wonwoo tumbled down after him. There was no thought involved at that point. Only the most basic function of the human body: breathing. Followed by coughing.

“Come on, we need to get out of here,” Wonwoo urged, getting to his feet and pulled on his arm.

Roughly wiping the tears from his face, Junhui pushed himself up and ran with him. They didn’t stop for what seemed like a long time.

“Are you okay?” Junhui asked him, bending over his knees in order to rush blood to his spinning head.

“Yeah,” Wonwoo sighed, coughing some more. “Are you?”

“Yeah,” he breathed hard. “What... Where are we?”

Wonwoo looked up and assessed the surrounding. “Close to the Clearing,” he stated. “There’s the mountain.” Pointing behind the boy, he made him look. “The tunnel must have let out around that area.”

Junhui nodded, somewhat visualizing it. Around the mountain, the ground wasn’t flat and smooth. It had several layers; one minute you’d be walking on the very bottom level, and the next you were on the third tier up. Besides, that side faced the high school. Since the opening of the treasure room was right by the school, it’d make sense.

Unceremoniously, Junhui collapsed on the ground, too tired to stand. Wonwoo plopped down and pulled the Stone out of his backpack.

“I have to return to the Clan,” he announced, his eyes fixed on the dim Stone.

“What?” Junhui nearly shouted. “Did you not pay attention earlier? Who else would want us killed but _them?_ And what a genius way of killing us, too: indirectly by smoke inhalation!”

“I know, but I need to go back. It was Taeseung’s wish,” he told him calmly, understanding why the younger would freak out. While Junhui was still reeling from his statement, Wonwoo pulled out a piece of paper kept within the pages of one of the books. “Take a look.”

Gingerly, Junhui opened the yellow old paper and read the script.

 

_My dear children, now that you know the history of where you come from, I hope that you will learn from the mistakes of our people. Among those are my own, ones I regretfully and unknowingly made your burden._

_If time could be reversed, perhaps I would have found a better solution than leaving those Stones with Lucien._

_As a last wish, I would like to ask a favor of you. My blood runs in your veins, and my powers are your own. Please, share it with the Clan for I am afraid they will not survive without your help._

_Jeon Taeseung._

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUNNNNNN (i feel like i say this a little too much lol)
> 
> Aaaaaaah congrats to wonhui for solving (part of) the mystery! did anyone guess they'd find that? 
> 
> And now i guess we kinda know how the house helped them along! yay for the house and mikyung! true MVP (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و
> 
> GYUHAO THOUGH. as promised, they are just sailing on their own. ugh they make me so SOFT (ಥ‿ಥ)
> 
> but waaaaaah wonwooooo!!! are you sure you know what you're saying at the end there??? fear not, dear readers, as we will find out the truth behind taeseung leaving and the stones. also who the heck is lucien???? stay tuned 😉
> 
> as always thank you for reading! see you next week!  
> xoxoxo


	28. Responsibility

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wonu finds a way to distract Jun so he can clean his cuts, and Jun worries about Wonu returning to the Clan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people!
> 
> Just a quick note that the moodboard is a bit misleading lol. there is no sexy time, but wonhui do end up in the bathroom together 👀😏 so yeah. no warning for sexual content.
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> -

 

Momentarily, his mind blanked. Taeseung left the Stones behind? All this time, Junhui thought those magical artifacts were somehow discovered by the first settlers as being part of the river bed. And what did he mean by his powers and sharing it with the Clan? Could it mean that Taeseung was actually the one responsible for maintaining that river flowing? Which would suggest that when he left, he had anticipated that it would ultimately run out; therefore, he had transferred some of that magic into the Stones. According to this note, he knew the powers of the Stones would not last, either, so he wrote and addressed the message to his descendants. Was that the whole truth about Taeseung’s departure?

This had to be the message that Mikyung wanted Wonwoo to find!

Looking up at Wonwoo, Junhui formed the words to express his thoughts and check that he had gotten the events correctly about the Jeons’ past and the history of the Clan. “We speculated that Siyeon and his colony might have stumbled upon the river and its healing powers when they settled in the region to wait out the harsh winter,” Junhui stated, and he nodded. “And for as long as you know, the Stones have been at the bottom of that river. It only began to drain after Taeseung left, suggesting that he must have taken them with him. That was the reason for the race against time in order to find those Stones again.”

“But now this note reveals that he was the one who left the Stones behind for the Clan,” Wonwoo finished.

Junhui made a face and wrinkled his nose. “I’m confused.”

“I know, it’s messing with my head, too,” he commented with a small laugh, hearing the younger sigh in defeat.

“So what does it all mean?” the latter finally asked.

“Taeseung was innocent,” Wonwoo replied softly, shame coloring his words. “He didn’t steal the Stones in order to condemn the Clan—he was actually trying to save it despite his desire to leave.”

“But we still don’t know why the river is draining,” Junhui noted. “I mean, Taeseung expected that it would, but why was it not an issue when he was the ruler? Nothing we know so far indicates that the Stones played any part when he was King.”

Wonwoo’s eyebrows furrowed as he thought about it, then he glanced at his backpack. “Hopefully the answers to those questions are going to be found within the pages of these books. I wish we had had more time.”

Silently, Junhui nodded. Now that treasure room contained nothing but ashes. Wonwoo glanced at his watch as he stood up and swung the backpack over his shoulder.

“Come on, we should get you home before your family starts to wonder where you are.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost ten.”

“Oh, geez,” Junhui groaned. He didn’t exactly have a curfew, but Hyejin tended to get paranoid when she didn’t hear from him for an extended period of time. For good reasons, he knew. Still, he hoped he wouldn’t get scolded. He was actually a little surprised that she hadn’t sent out a search party for him yet. To avoid getting a lengthy lecture, he decided to bite the bullet and call her as he and Wonwoo walked back to the car.

“Junnie! I was just about to call you!” she said on the other line. Thankfully, her voice was still cheery. Perhaps he wouldn’t get his ears chewed out. “Have you had dinner yet?”

“Um, sorta. I’ve been snacking a lot.”

“Alright, but make sure you eat a proper meal,” she laughed softly. “Anyway, I thought I’d be back home by now, but the meeting is running late. I just wanted to call to make sure you and Minghao were okay.”

The thought hit him like a brick. Hyejin did mention she had a meeting after work today, but of course, it completely went over his head. The good news was that she had no idea her youngest son almost got roasted alive tonight. He shuddered at the thought, causing Wonwoo to cast a look down at him.

“We’re fine, Mom,” he said to get back on topic. “Hao is over at Mingyu’s house, and I, uh, actually just took a walk toward the Oak Tree. I’m about to head back home.”

“Oh, it’s a little late for you to be out there alone.”

“I’m fine, really. It’s a clear night, and I just wanna walk.”

She hesitated, but eventually relented. “Okay, I’ll see you back at the house later tonight. Stay safe.”

“I will. Have a good meeting!” They hung up, and he pocketed the phone.

“Do you lie to her often?” Wonwoo asked, glancing at him.

Junhui pursed his lip. “I wasn’t exactly lying,” he argued, “we _are_ around the Oak Tree.” Just to make his point, he turned over his shoulder and gestured toward the landmark.

Wonwoo chuckled. “Sure.”

“Besides, what she doesn’t know won’t hurt her.”

“Can’t argue with that, I guess.”

They continued through the field and met up with the hiking trail. The walk was mostly done in silence, both of them still a little dazed from the recent turn of events. Back in town, they found the car parked right where they left it by the side of the road facing the lot.

From across the street (and in the dark), Junhui couldn’t tell any difference from the way the field looked before and after they discovered the trap door. As in, whoever tried to kill them also cleaned up their mess. There was no hole, no freshly dug up dirt. As if the grass had magically grown back to hide any trace of their discovery.

That was too weird to not take notice. Wonwoo was wary about it, too. The couple shared a look, then moved down the sidewalk rather than cross the empty street just yet. The trap door and the traces of digging vanishing without a trace further suggested that the pair had been followed by no ordinary man. The footsteps Junhui had heard earlier on the field weren’t conjured up by his overactive imagination. They were real, and he’d picked up on them. Wonwoo, so engrossed in the search, hadn’t. Or maybe the stalker knew just how to mask his presence against a fellow demon.

Junhui shuddered.

Now he really wished that this part of town wasn’t so deserted at night. A few passerby would be welcome. The pair walked in complete silence, only the shuffling of their feet against the concrete made any noise.

“Stay right here,” Wonwoo told him when they reached the gate of the recycling plant.

The lot and the car were about fifty feet away, and so far no one seemed to be lingering there. However, considering the fact that some (most likely demonic) creep had been following them this afternoon, Wonwoo didn’t want to take the chance that said creep was still lurking around to finish the job. Staying out here by himself didn’t fill Junhui up with joy, either, but he knew that Wonwoo wanted to do a quick run over there and check things out. Having the younger follow would only slow him down.

As soon as Junhui assured him he was fine, Wonwoo started to run, only to completely disappear from sight. Junhui realized that he’d never actually seen him run at top speed, and seeing it now really did throw him for a loop. With nothing to do for a couple minutes, Junhui leaned back on his heels then switched to the balls of his feet, back and forth, amusing himself as he hummed under his breath. Getting a little too into it, he lost his balance slightly, landing briefly against the the hedges behind him.

“Ow,” he whined, rubbing his exposed arms. Apparently, this area had just gone through some landscaping because all the branches were freshly cut and sharp. None of them punctured the skin, but it still hurt from all the abrasions.

Suddenly, the roaring of a car engine and blinding lights swept over him. Junhui jumped. This time, he did genuinely fall into the bushes, in addition to tripping over a decorative boulder. 

“Junhui!” Wonwoo, letting the engine run, got out of the car just in time to watch him awkwardly crawling up to a sitting position. He huffed, cheeks puffed out as he glared at his boyfriend through the gaps in the branches and leaves. Even though the lighting was limited, he could see how hard Wonwoo tried to keep his composure.

“Don’t laugh at me,” he muttered.

Wonwoo put his hands up. “I’m not.” He cleared his throat. “Are you okay? I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“I’m fine,” he answered, getting back on his feet. His shirt caught in the mess of branches, and he tugged on it, trying to dislodge it from the hooks. It wasn’t until he was halfway to his full height that he heard the rip. _You’ve got to be kidding me_. Wonwoo arched a brow, having heard it, too. Shaking his head incredulously, Junhui reached back and sure enough, his shirt was torn. It wasn’t a big hole, from what his fingertips could reach, but enough that he wouldn’t be able to wear it anymore.

“You owe me a shirt,” Junhui told him, getting into the car.

Chuckling, Wonwoo got behind the wheel. Junhui turned to pull on his seatbelt when the older commented, “Your shirt isn’t the only thing needing a patchwork.”

“What?” Confused, Junhui tried to turn around to face him, but Wonwoo held his shoulder in place, attention on the back of his shirt. Gently, he lifted the torn fabric, “Doesn’t it hurt?”

Junhui rolled his shoulders and winced. “Now that you mention it, it does sting a little. Is it bad?” Paying attention now, he felt the familiar tugs and pinches of the crystallization.

“No, the gash isn’t deep, but you won’t be able to just sleep it off.”

Blowing out a breath, he sulked. “Wonderful.”

“It’s fortunate your mother is running late,” Wonwoo said as they headed out on the road. “I wouldn’t know how to explain to her why her son looks like he’d just spent the whole day sweeping chimneys and how he got mauled by a shrub.”

Junhui had almost forgotten about the state that they were in: covered in smoke, and the sweat didn’t make it any better. He needed a good shower, and now a giant band-aid, too. The crystals made themselves known more vividly, and he could feel them stretch and tear at his skin for a good three inches down his back, below his right shoulder blade. He was contemplating what to say to Hyejin to ask her to help with the bandaging without sending her into panic-mom-mode, when Wonwoo parked into the driveway. Hyejin’s car was still absent.

“Thank—” the words died on his lips when Wonwoo turned off the engine and pulled his key out. His hand on the door, he popped it open. “Where are you going?”

“Inside,” Wonwoo said as a matter of fact. “You don’t see any hot water or citrus in here, do you?” Not waiting for a response, Wonwoo got out of the car and rounded to the passenger’s side. He opened the door for him and prompted him to get out.

“Thanks,” Junhui said, stepping out, “But I can do it by myself,” he claimed. Sure, they might be together, but that didn’t mean Junhui was ready to strip in front of him. Granted he’d had Wonwoo’s hands roaming under his shirt several times by now, but that wasn’t the point. Shaking his head vigorously, he clasped his hands over his head to dispel the images, hoping to cool his sudden rise in body temperature.

“Jun,” Wonwoo called softly but firmly. “Don’t be difficult. Aren’t you supposed to be a good boy?”

Mustering up the fiercest glare possible, Junhui turned to him and made a face. “I am!”

“Then come on. Don’t be a brat.”

With a sigh, Junhui’s attitude deflated like a balloon as he followed behind him into the house.

“I’m sure you remember where everything is,” Junhui grumbled as Wonwoo took off his shoes and headed upstairs. Junhui took a detour by the kitchen and grabbed a couple limes. He rinsed them by the sink, then took the opportunity to wash his hands and face, too. There was no doubt he’d need a good shower to get rid of all the dust, but this at least made him feel a little bit cleaner. He moved gingerly, not wanting to aggravate the injury. Grabbing the fruits, he went upstairs.

Thank goodness Minghao had been spending nearly all waking hours with Mingyu lately, he thought, as he got to the second floor and headed down the hall to the bathroom. A tiny silver lining in the midst of the storm.

Since the two of them were the only ones inside the house, Wonwoo didn’t bother closing the door, so Junhui just walked in. Then promptly halted at the threshold, nearly tripping over his own feet.

Wonwoo’s dirty shirt laid in a rumpled mess in the corner of the bathroom, and he was drying his face in a fluffy white towel. Normally, Junhui would clasp his hands over his face to hide his blush as he stole peeks at the toned muscles. However, something else caught his attention instead.

“When did you get a tattoo?” he blurted out, eyes round as he stared at the dark violet swirls inked at the bottom of the older’s right ribs.

Laughing, Wonwoo lowered the towel and set it aside. “It’s not a tattoo. It’s my mark. Everyone in the Clan is born with one.”

“Oh.” Junhui thought about it. “Then how come I didn’t see it when I cleaned your wound?”

“The healthier the individual, the starker the mark,” he explained. “I was on my deathbed back then. I don’t think _I_ would even be able to see it.”

That made sense, Junhui considered, nodding. “So it’s kinda like a thermometer, but instead of measuring temperature, it measures health!”

Wonwoo laughed. “Yes, I suppose so.” He turned on the hot water, checking it for the right temperature.

“Does it mean something?”

“My name, written in the ancient Alcaeusian tongue.”

“Wow!”

Setting the limes on the counter, Junhui opened the cabinet to get the first-aid kit, along with the small paring knife used exclusively to cut citrus. He handed everything to the older. “It’s cool that you were born with a magical tattoo,” he commented, carefully bending down to take a closer look. Unfortunately, the gash on his back did not agree, and he hissed, wincing as he whimpered.

“Junnie.” Wonwoo clicked his tongue. “You can look later. Now turn around and stand still. I need to remove your shirt, too. It’s filthy.”

Upon hearing those words, Junhui panicked. “I can do it by myself!”

Wonwoo sighed. Giving him look, he stated, “You can’t even move without it hurting. Besides, how are you going to reach it without seeing it properly? ”

“That’s why mirrors are here. And I can move just fine,” he argued, although, the more he did, the more the cut hurt, as if punishing him for the lie. At this point, he couldn’t tell if the pain came from the injury itself or the crystals tearing his skin.

“Stop whining,” Wonwoo said. He cut the lime, juiced it into the cup, then filled it with hot water. Next, he grabbed some clean cotton balls and gestured for Junhui to turn his back to face him. “Take off your shirt.”

Pouting and holding on to the last shreds of dignity, Junhui looked at him through the mirror reflection. “I can’t. It’ll hurt too much if I move my arms above my head.”

Wonwoo arched a brow, head cocked to the side. “Is that so? Well, then that leaves me little choice.” Without waiting for a reply, he ripped the t-shirt cleanly in two right down the back.

“Wonwoo!” Junhui gasped, arms and hands flailing to catch the pieces of tattered cloth and press them to his chest. All the exaggerated movements pulled at the crystals,though, and he sucked in a breath, eyes screwed shut. “That hurt…” he whined pathetically.

Amidst the turbulent fog of pain, cool hands tenderly touched his elbows to guide him toward a warm chest. “C’mere.”

Soft kisses landed on his lips, and Junhui instinctively leaned into the embrace. The frown was easily coaxed out of him, replaced by warmth and affection. Wonwoo held him firmly at the waist, while the other hand cupped the back of his head, deepening the kiss. The gradual change from sweet pecks to hungry bites should have become familiar by now, but it still didn’t fail to get his heart racing. He curled his fingers through Wonwoo’s belt loops, doing his best to stand upright and not melt into a puddle on the floor.

As if sensing the younger’s impending doom, Wonwoo moved his hand to the small of the boy’s back, fingertips grazing the dip of his spine. Junhui let out a small mewl at the sensation, small shivers rolling through his body. Wonwoo smirked against his lips, repeating the gesture a couple more times just to hear him moan. When the latter began to pant, he pulled away to let Junhui catch his breath, kissing down his throat instead.

“You seemed so interested in my mark earlier, kitten,” he muttered lowly, then chuckled when Junhui’s fingers swiped across the pattern over his ribs. “Do you want one, too?”

Junhui was always a little loopy and a lot dazed whenever Wonwoo kissed him, so it took him a few seconds to comprehend what the question even implied. “You want us to get matching tattoos?”

The older laughed. “No. If we mate, you’ll wear my mark on you. Right here.” As he spoke, he touched Junhui’s skin, matching the location where his name was imprinted on his own torso. 

The thought sent a pleasant shiver down the boy’s spine, and his heart pounded. It sounded a little scary—especially when he had no idea what mating for demons even entailed—but the excitement and joy overshadowed the fear.

Looking up, he asked, “Really?”

Wonwoo laughed again, endeared and tender. He pressed a kiss to his forehead. “Really. Once everything is settled, you can give me your answer.”

What a silly assumption. As if Junhui weren’t ready to deliver his entire life to him right this second. Before he could voice his internal remarks, however, Wonwoo kissed him again, and all rational thoughts flew out the window.

Afterward, Junhui could hardly think, much less feel the pain from his shoulder blade as he curled up around Wonwoo’s middle, face tucked at the side of his neck. He giggled at the sensation of skin on skin, warm and flushed. Wonwoo’s breath blew over his nape, tickling him. He might not have even remembered his injury right away, either, if he hadn’t seen from the corner of his eye Wonwoo grabbing the cup and cotton balls.

“I need to mix a new batch,” he said. “The liquid is cold now.”

Idly, Junhui wondered how long they spent just making out, but he shook it away. “And whose fault is that?”

Wonwoo gave him a glance as he cut up another lime and began the process all over again. “I don’t know, Junnie. Was I the one being difficult and who needed to be properly distracted?”

Junhui huffed, lip pursed and brows knitted to form a fierce pout. Which only served to make the older laugh. To take revenge, Junhui bit his shoulder. Not that it seemed to cause any damage, seeing how nonchalant Wonwoo continued to prepare the juice and hot water with one hand, while the other was still wrapped around the boy’s waist.

As he had predicted, the cleaning up process was painful. There were a lot of crystals to melt, and the liquid stung, too. He kept himself plastered to Wonwoo’s chest throughout the whole duration, face tucked in the crook of the older’s neck, arms wrapped around his waist. Every once in a while, he wouldn’t be able to swallow down the pain, and a soft whimper would sound. Every time it happened, Wonwoo would stop, rubbing his lower back in comfort, before resuming. Before too long, he finished and dug around the first aid kit for waterproof bandages.

“Thank you,” Junhui said, looking over his shoulder at the mirror to see the site of injury. “I should be able to remove the bandages tomorrow, right?”

“Why don’t you want to keep them?”

“It makes me itchy!”

Wonwoo snorted a laugh, shaking his head. “Well, like I said, it’s not too serious, so probably.”

As he started to clean up, Junhui said, “I’ll go grab you a set of clean clothes. You might as well shower here, too.”

Turning around and flashing him a smirk, Wonwoo asked, “What, you want to shower together?”

Junhui’s eyes turned round, and his cheeks reddened. “No! I—I didn’t mean—I just—”

“Relax,” the other laughed. “I’m just teasing you.”

“You’re so mean.” With the older’s sound of amusement ringing behind his back, Junhui left to grab them some clean clothes from his room. Wonwoo waited for him in the hall, then took the borrowed clothes to the guest bathroom.

By the time Junhui returned to his room after his own shower, he found Wonwooalready there. The latter had spread out the history books and journals they’d recovered over the surface of the work desk. His eyes were focused on the pages, a crease forming between his eyebrows as he deciphered the words. Junhui didn’t understand why he needed as much concentration until he approached the desk and noticed that the words didn’t look like words at all. In fact, they looked a lot like the mark on his torso.

“Is this... Is this the language of the Alcaeusians?” Junhui asked, picking a piece of paper up. It appeared a little different now that he was seeing actual sentences and paragraphs, rather than just a single name. The language was made up of many different sized lines and swirls, almost like vines and flowers, which looked quite lovely from an artistic point of view.

“Yeah,” Wonwoo replied, glancing at him briefly. “It’s been obsolete for so long, though. Only a very small group of people even know how to read it nowadays.”

“Do you?”

“Hardly,” he answered. “The Elders hadn’t felt the need to teach us anything aside from the basic alphabet and simple words. Now I’m starting to understand why.” He scoffed.

“But I saw you reading parts of it inside the treasure room,” Junhui said. “You have to know it more than you think.”

“Not everything is written in the ancient language,” he said, indicating toward a few journals where Taeseung wrote in human speech. “We’ll see,” he mumbled with a sigh, giving Junhui room when the latter scooted over. Wonwoo wound an arm around his hip and pulled him in close as Junhui carded his fingers through the damp locks.

“I have some paper in that third drawer,” he pointed toward the side. “I’m sure you’ll need something to jot down notes.”

“Thanks,” Wonwoo smiled faintly, grabbing the notepads with his free hand.

As he continued to work, Junhui watched him for a few minutes, then went over to the dresser and grabbed a hair brush. Seeing his reflection, he couldn’t help laughing. Maybe he had gone a little crazy with the shampoo and scrubbing, but he wanted to make sure to get all the soot and dust out of his roots. The result of his efforts was a bird’s nest for a hairdo. He was almost done untangling all the knots, when he heard paper rustling and zippers closing. Turning around, he saw Wonwoo packing up.

“Done for the night?”

He smiled. “No, but your mother just turned into the driveway.”

Sure enough, as Junhui crossed the room toward the window, her car lights brightened the front yard. Wonwoo grabbed his things, and they headed downstairs right as her keys jingled in front of the lock. Within a few seconds, Junhui unlocked the door and swung it open for her.

“Oh, thank you!” she smiled, stepping inside. She appeared surprised, although not unhappy, to see Wonwoo behind him. “Hi! It’s good to see you in good health.”

Returning her smile, he nodded. “Thank you. I hope that you’re doing well yourself.”

“Healthy as ever!” she exclaimed, sitting down on the couch nearby. Now she noticed his backpack and registered the fact that he was leaving. “You don’t have to go just because I’m here.”

“No, no,” he reassured her quickly, although it was the main reason. “There’s some work I need to get back to.”

“More work, huh?” she chuckled. “My, when I saw the house a few days ago, I couldn’t believe it was the same one. It looks amazing.” He grinned crookedly, a little unsure how to accept the compliment.

“I had help,” he responded instead, ever so humble.

Hyejin glanced at her son with a knowing look, then returned her attention to him. “Taeseung and Mikyung would have been very proud and grateful that you brought it back to its former glory.”

Her smile and the look she gave him were so tender and warm that for a second, Wonwoo was left speechless.

“I hope you’re right,” he eventually said. “Well, I better get going.”

“Alright,” she nodded, “Be careful on the roads. It’s very dark.”

Junhui bit his lip in order to hide the grin. If she knew how he drove, she’d probably have a heart attack. “I’ll walk him out,” he told her after Wonwoo slipped on his shoes and waved at her.

“Okay.”

Outside, Wonwoo had dropped his backpack onto the passenger seat. He leaned against the car, his hands in his pockets. The air was so quiet that for a moment, the couple just stood there staring at each other. The whole episode tonight came back to the front of his mind, and Junhui took in a shaky breath.

“What happens now?” he asked hesitantly.

Wonwoo extended his hand out for him, sensing the unease radiating off of the younger like waves. Junhui readily walked up and snuggled up against him. Wonwoo didn’t answer, he just held him, resting his cheek on the boy’s head. Honestly, his lack of words had always worried him, not knowing what he was thinking whenever he’d grow silent.

“Now you go inside and get some rest. Lock your windows and doors, and don’t come out until sunrise,” Wonwoo answered.

“I’m not the one I’m worried about,” Junhui said. “You’re all alone up there. What if they come in the middle of the night? I don’t want another Jeon murder making the headlines of the morning news.” His fingers tightened in the fabric of Wonwoo’s shirt.

A soft smile pulled at the corner of his mouth as Wonwoo looked down at him “It’s not. I’m gonna be fine. Just do what I say tonight, and I’llsee you in the morning.”

Meeting his gaze, Wonwoo stroked his cheek lightly with his thumb and smiled. Junhui knew he wanted to make the younger feel better, to take away the anxiety brought on by the chase tonight. But even when his attempt meant well, Junhui couldn’t shake it off.

“I can ask for you to spend the night here again,” he suggested. “It really wouldn’t be a bother at all.”

“What if it’ll just lure them here instead, hm?” the other asked gently. “I can’t have that.”

“But there’s power in numbers!”

Chuckling, Wonwoo shook his head. “Go on inside, kitten.” He kissed Junhui’s forehead. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

With a sigh, he did as was told. At the front door, Junhui looked back to see that Wonwoo was still in his car, watching and waiting until the boy locked the door before driving away.

Back inside, Hyejin had settled herself at the kitchen table with her agenda and various stacks of paper. She looked up briefly when Junhui came in, her glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. “You have that look again,” she commented.

“What look?”

“The one you had on when the two of you came back bloody and bruised.” At her words, Junhui froze, his breathing stopped for a second or two. “Did something happen tonight?”

Unable to find his voice yet, he merely shook his head slowly.

“Junhui.”

He thought for a moment. “As you can tell, we’re both fine, so you don’t have to worry about that.” Letting out a breath, he mulled over his words. “We’re just trying to figure some things out about...” His voice dropped as he didn’t know how to form a good explanation without revealing too much. “About his past.”

“And somehow,” she interjected, “the Crystals inside of you are connected.”

“Yeah,” he confirmed.

“What _is_ Wonwoo’s past like?”

He met her eyes, afraid of what she might read on his face. He decided to go for the truth. “It’s dark and painful.”

She nodded, lowering her eyes to the corner of the stack of documents. “He puts up a good front, but it’s slipping.” Eyes widening, he watched her, waiting for her next sentences. “Whatever happened before the accident in the woods changed him; he’s not as cold nor as angry.”

Who knew his mother could be so perceptive? To think that he assumed she was always so busy with work to notice much about Wonwoo. “I didn’t think it was that obvious.”

“It’s not,” she said with a small smile, “but when you know what to look for, it becomes quite clear.”

“Are you okay with... us?” The words somewhat got stuck in his throat, and he swallowed.

She chuckled. “I’m a mother. In my eyes, you and Minghao will always remain children. I can’t always protect you from the dangers and pain of life. I just have one request: be aware of what you’re getting yourself into.” Her tone, although still light, held a hint of warning. “Seeing Minghao going through withdrawal breaks my heart everyday. I don’t want to see you one day walking around the house like you’ve lost your soul, too. If it weren’t for Mingyu, I really wouldn’t know what to do,” she sighed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. Junhui hugged her.

Partially, he knew that what Minghao went through had to do with extenuating circumstances, but he didn’t let it show. Besides, he knew she was trying to protect him, so he smiled. “It took me a while, but I do know what I’m getting myself into. I want to be there for him.”

 

The next morning, Junhui waited for Wonwoo anxiously in the living room. From the couch, he could glimpse through the windows at the front of the house, willing the black car to drive up. Nothing had happened the night before, but that hardly said anything about the Jeon House. The whole affair with the Stone and Taeseung’s favor confused him. Furthermore, why would the Alcaeusians want to kill Wonwoo if he could have the power to restore the river? Unless they didn’t know? The fact that he and Wonwoo would know something about the past that the Elders didn’t seemed unlikely. But then why? And how would that even relate back to the Jeon murders? Or did it have nothing to do with anything?

His head didn’t appreciate these questions and empty answers.

He glanced at the clock: 9:30. Wonwoo should have been here by now. Unable to sit still any longer, he grabbed his things and ran to the barn for his bike.

The sound an engine approaching made him whip around, but it was Mingyu. When he saw Junhui, he got out, a little curious.

“Hey, Jelly Beans. What’s the hurry?”

“You didn’t hear anything in town, did you?”

Clearly confused, Mingyu gave him an arched brow. “Like what?”

He shrugged, trying to seem nonchalant. “Just… anything weird.”

“Well, Hao and I babysat baby Violet last night while her dads went out to dinner. According to the waitress, Jisoo forgot his ID, so he pulled up his teacher’s profile on the school website as proof. Seungcheol was already a little tipsy, so he got into a laughing fit and almost cracked his head when he fell off his chair. Jeonghan threatened to divorce both of them. Does that count as weird?”

Junhui couldn’t help bursting into giggles, at the very least relieved that no sightings of demons in town had occurred.

At that moment, the front door opened, and they looked over to see Minghao standing on the porch. Mingyu’s eyes lit up, while Minghao relaxed immediately.

“Hey, Mingyu?”

“Hm?”

“Thank you,” Junhui whispered. “Without you…”

Mingyu laughed, patting his shoulder. “You don’t need to thank me for this, Jun. I’d do anything to get him back to himself.”

“I know,” Junhui nodded with a smile. “Just… maybe you should tell him that.” They shared a look, Mingyu’s cheeks reddening slightly.

“Maybe someday.” And with that, Mingyu gave him another pat and jogged up to Minghao.

It took Junhui an immense amount of self-restraint not to stand there and gawk at them. He reminded himself of Wonwoo and sped down the road, pedaling as fast as he could. He had to keep chanting to himself that no news meant good news. That Wonwoo was strong and smart. He wouldn’t let himself be caught in an ambush.

Still, even with the pep talk to console and reassure himself, he couldn’t help worrying. As he pedaled, images of that afternoon in the woods flashed through his eyes. They blurred together with the first time he saw Keegan, and how Wonwoo had looked afterward in the backyard. Junhui should never had let him go back to the house alone last night. He should have insisted, perhaps even coming up with some excuse to make him stay. Anything to keep him close and safe.

The path seemed to stretch on forever before Junhui finally spotted the black gates through the foliage of the trees. Not bothering to do anything with the bike, he abandoned it by the porch, looking around for Wonwoo. The cars were still here, and everything appeared to be left untouched. No broken table, not even a flower out of place. A sudden _thump_ made him jump; he spun around.

Letting out a sigh of relief, he watched Happy chasing after a butterfly and hopping on top of the soil bags. A few feet away, Jelly was sunbathing, while the other kittens explored the yard. Maybe nothing had happened if the kitties were playing joyfully, he told himself.

Junhui went inside, still a little on edge when he didn’t see Wonwoo anywhere downstairs. He called his name a few times, but no one replied. Chills broke across hisskin as he climbed the stairs. He kept moving down the hall until he reached his room. Pushing open the door, he peeked inside.

Never had he been this grateful to see someone asleep.

Sighing and shaking his head at himself for panicking, Junhui tiptoed in. Wonwoo laid slumped over his desk, his head resting on his arm. In front of him were the books he brought back, some opened, some had bookmarks sticking out of them. Before he fell asleep, he had been working on decoding their secrets, Junhui noticed, as he stood behind him. Not disturbing him, Junhui gingerly picked up the notepad. Wonwoo’s neat handwriting filled the page with notes, and he quickly scanned through them in hope that they would bring some light into the whole situation.

 

_-Jeon Siyeon settled his colony in the region to pass winter in the early 1900s._

_-Due to exposure with humans, Taeseung grew up sharing many qualities with them. The most surprising result was his power: regenerating wildlife._

→ _Reason why they didn’t need the Stones while he was in power._

_-When he made the decision to leave, he emptied his powers into four stones, entrusting them to Lucien_ → _Keegan’s grandfather._

_-Burying a Stone down into the river bed would keep the land healthy temporarily._

_-The Elders came into power shortly after Taeseung left, Lucien at the head of it._

_-If Taeseung did try to save the Clan, why would they lie about the Stones and Taeseung’s irresponsibility? Why hide that he and Mikyung asked for the Crystal to be put into Hwan for protection? Reason for bringing Hwan back after the murders?_

 

The last bullet point were Wonwoo’s own questions; questions Junhui was now curious about, too. All these secrets, it was a miracle anyone could keep track of them. Movement coming from Wonwoo made him look over. He stirred awake, pulling his arms back against himself and raising his head.

Upon seeing Junhui, he started slightly. Then when his eyes focused and recognized him, he bounded up, checking the time.

“Jun! What are you doing here? What time is it?”

“It’s okay!” he said quickly. “It’s only half past ten. When I didn’t see you, I got worried.”

He groaned, rubbing his face with his hands roughly before pushing them through his hair. “Sorry, I didn’t think I’d sleep for so long. Did you get a ride up here?”

Junhui smiled. “No, I just grabbed my bike.”

Frowning, Wonwoo sat back in the chair; he didn’t like it when Junhui had to ride up here, especially now.

“When did you actually get some sleep?”

“About the time dawn broke,” he mumbled around a yawn.

“Because of this?” Junhui waved the notepad in the air.

“You saw,” he assessed. “I suppose it cleared up few things.”

“But you’re still going to go put the Stone back,” Junhui said, “Even when you realize that it goes against all common sense.”

Sighing, he fixed his eyes on the table for a moment to compose his thoughts. Then he looked up to Junhui’s face, saying, “I won’t do what I accused Taeseung of doing. I have a duty toward my people as well as to him; I can’t turn my back on them.”

“Those are noble thoughts,” Junhui commented softly, seeing it clearly in his eyes. Seeing how badly he wanted to make it right. “But do they deserve it?”

Wonwoo broke eye contact.

“Look at how they treated Taeseung. Not only did they ostracize him, they completely brainwashed everyone into thinking he was a selfish man who betrayed his Clan all for one human, how he left and never turned back, leaving everyone to fend for themselves.”

“So now that I’m set, I should let them all die?” Wonwoo asked aloud. “It doesn’t matter what the motivation behind sending me on the mission to recover it was, the issue remains: without the Stone, the Alcaeus Clan will eventually die. They’ve been living in one place for so long, gotten used to the way things are. They can’t simply go on living without the protection of the river as they did before Siyeon’s colony got settled.

“The Elders might have lied and distorted the truth, but they taught and raised me. The whole Clan did. Whether I like it or not, I have responsibilities and an obligation to them. I _have_ to return the Stone to the Clan, especially now that I know the truth about it.” Fixing Junhui with a stare, he said, “If you were in shoes, you would do the exact same thing, wouldn’t you? Is that not what you’ve _been_ doing to the same people who shun your family and mistreat you?”

Junhui couldn’t deny it.

He could see that his mind was made up. He should’ve known that Wonwoo never did change course when it came to saving his people. Never in his mind had he even considered giving up the search; Junhui was just too distracted by the recent events to notice that. Now that he truly thought about it, though, since the incident with Mr. Sanders and Sanghun showing up at the shop, Wonwoo hadn’t been sleeping much. Whenever Junhui would ask, he’d tell him it was either due to insomnia or the need to hunt. Junhui realized belatedly now that it had more to do with him going alone in search of the Stone than anything else.

Nodding, Junhui swallowed down the pleas for him not to continue. He couldn’t be selfish and make Wonwoo give up. No matter how twisted his insides were, he repressed everything. Still, he couldn’t help retorting,“You’re gonna return the Stone to them.” He fisted his hands in his shirt. “But are they going to return you to me?”

Standing up, Wonwoo put a hand on his arm, “Come here.” He made Junhui sit on the edge of the bed, then knelt down in front of him and held his hands. “I know it scares you, but I won’t be able to live with myself knowing that I could have done something to save my people but didn’t.” Junhui nodded. “I meant what I said on Saturday: you are the most important person to me now, but this is just something I have to do to ease my conscience. Besides, I still need to hear your answer, don’t I?”

It took Junhui a moment to recall what the other was referring to. When he did, his cheeks turned pink. “You were serious?” His voice turned small. “I thought it was just something you said to distract me from the pain.”

Wonwoo stroked his cheek. “You silly boy.”

Smiling, Junhui leaned forward and hugged him.

“Just wait for me, kitten,” he said, rubbing his hand up and down Junhui’s back. “I’ll see this last mission to the end, and I’ll come back.”

Junhui squeezed him tighter, kissing his cheek. “I don’t know how you were to pass as a demon, Jeon Wonwoo,” he said. “After all they’ve done to you, you’re still risking your life to save theirs. Not many people can do that.”

He cracked a faint smile. “Must be something in my blood.”

Junhui giggled.

 

Later, it was decided that to avoid detection, the best time to place the Stone in the river would be on the next new moon—the darkest night of the month. According to Wonwoo, the Clan members tended to stay indoors during those nights. Technically speaking, if everything went according to plan, he would be able to dive underwater, set the Stone, then leave before anyone would know.

Of course, to Junhui the _if_ was enormous. He knew Wonwoo had made up his mind, though, and he already promised to be supportive, so he kept quiet and stuffed his stomach to help ease the worry.

The pair checked the calendar, and there remained about two weeks until the new moon. That gave Wonwoo time to learn how to even replicate Taeseung’s regenerative powers, much less how to put it inside the Stone.

It was during this occasion that Junhui discovered what Wonwoo’s special ability was—aside from locating magical relics.

He could blow things up.

Over the next several afternoons watching him practice, (once the shock and fright somewhat subsided) Junhui studied the way it seemed to work. The first time Wonwoo showed him, they were in the woods, and he found a hefty boulder. After he’d made Junhui move several yards away, he faced the rock, extending out his hand toward it. In just a couple seconds, the rock shattered into a million pieces.

Evidently, Junhui had covered his head and curled up into a ball, only popping out of his shell when the noise subsided.

“That’s…” He couldn’t even find the words to express his shock. He knew that Wonwoo had killed before. But to think that he’d possessed such a destructive and powerful ability all this time…

Wonwoo watched him warily, as if afraid Junhui would run away screaming. The thought didn’t even occur to him. He jogged over and grabbed Wonwoo’s hands, flipping them back and forth. The hands that could blow a giant boulder into smithereens within seconds had always held him with the utmost care and tenderness.

Seeing him play with his fingers, Wonwoo asked hesitantly, “Aren’t you scared?”

“Hm? Why?” Still holding his hand, he wondered, “Do you think you could actually hurt me, Jeon Wonwoo?”

The carefree tone seemed to ease his mind, and the older smiled faintly.

“So…” he bent close to the ground to inspect the broken pieces. “Would that work on people?”

Wonwoo shrugged, kicking a piece into the trees. The kick broke off a branch. “Oops.” He made a face, turning back to Junhui. “I don't know. I’ve never tried it on any living creature.”

“That’s a relief,” Junhui commented quickly. In his head at that moment, all he saw were pictures of people getting blown up and blood splattering everywhere. “What do you usually use it on?”

“I don’t use it at all,” he replied. “I’d never had the need to.”

“Oh.”

Regardless of what Taeseung said in his letter about Wonwoo also possessing the power of regeneration, learning how to switch from such a destructive ability to one that involved reviving wildlife would be difficult, to say the least.

Stubborn as he was, though, Wonwoo didn’t give up. As an outsider looking in, it felt frustrating and discouraging. Every evening when Junhui had to step in and make him stop for the day, Wonwoo would be breathing hard, his shirt clinging to the damp and sweaty skin. If it wasn’t for Junhui executing a time limit and pleading for him to go home, he’d probably stay out in the woods all day and all night.

By the following week, Wonwoo had progressed in controlling and guiding the force of the power. Instead of just exploding his targets, he eventually managed to find a way to split them in any shape he wanted. The result wasn’t very close to their end goal, but it was better than an uncontrollable explosion. Junhui couldn’t deny that he made good progress. He just wished it didn’t come at the cost of Wonwoo overworking himself.

Not that he would listen to reason. It took him nearly fainting from fatigue to make him pause. That day, his powers failed to function, which was just the icing on the cake. Junhui took the opportunity to coax him to take a break. Without any other choice, Wonwoo agreed. He slept for a few hours, then he went for a walk in the woods.

“I promise I won’t practice,” he said when Junhui gave him a flat look. “I’ll be back in a few hours. I just need to get the restlessness out of my bones.”

Junhui had no idea what he did, but it involved a whole lot of ruckus.

At any rate, while Wonwoo went off and did whatever he was doing, Junhui took the occasion to take a walk, as well. It had been almost three weeks since he stepped foot into the Clearing. What happened that night with Jaehyun still felt raw now, but he had to go see what became of it. Even with the sanctity was broken, he needed to see it in the daylight and come to terms with it.

The afternoon air was calm and warm, a light breeze blew over his head as he walked through the path and into the edge of the woods. As he neared the Clearing, it almost seemed as if nothing had happened. The sun rays pierced through the thick canopy overhead, making the flowers and the grass dancing in the breeze look radiant. Could this place really be magic enough to have regrown on its own in only a few weeks?

While he still contemplated that small miracle, he came to an abrupt stop right on the edge where the grass began. On the far right stood a tall man, and upon hearingfootsteps, he glanced up. His frown deepened when he recognized him, and Junhui’s stomach twisted when he made out the person’s face.

Jaehyun glared at him for a long moment, then gestured with his head for him to come over. Nervous, Junhui breathed in deeply. Jaehyun had his hands in his pockets, facing the patches of violets and daisies. These were freshly planted; they looked too perfect to be wildflowers.

“Did you... Did you grow these?” Junhui asked tentatively.

“As far as I know,” he began, “we’re the only two people aware of this place. You clearly couldn’t afford to restore it.”

Junhui swallowed, fidgeting with his hands and arms for something to do. Jaehyun’s statement, however backhanded, surprised him, although it really shouldn’t. Jaehyun didn’t lack the means to beautify this place again. Particularly since it meant so much to Dr. Minji.

“Thank you.”

Jaehyun looked down at him, narrowing his eyes, before shifting them back to the blooms. “Trust me, I didn’t do it for your benefit.”

“I know, but I’m grateful, nonetheless.”

He didn’t reply back, and for some time they just stood there in silence. Idly, Junhui wondered what Dr. Minji would think if she saw them here, together, with her son still hating him so much.

By dint of losing himself to his own thoughts, Junhui practically forgot Jaehyun was standing merely a couple feet away from him. Junhui’s eyes followed the movements of the grass blades, of the visiting butterflies and bees. He didn’t pay attention to the boy beside him, which was why when Jaehyun spoke again, Junhui got startled by more than his question.

“Did you have anything to do with Mr. Sanders’ panic attack?”

“What? Why would you even assume that?”

While Junhui tried to look at the person speaking to him, the other boy couldn’t even give him that courtesy. “You were the first one on site, weren’t you?”

“Yes, because I was looking for him. He called Mrs. Yoon with a list of groceries he needed, and I went there to deliver them.”

His frown grew grimmer. “If it wasn’t you, then Jeon must be involved, somehow.” The words sent a cold shiver down his spine, but Junhui remained unfazed on the surfce. “It hardly matters. Whatever happened I’m going to find out.”

“Why can’t you just leave it alone? It’s not like it happened to one of us. Mr. Sanders is nearing seventy-five, and with the amount of work he keeps doing—”

Jaehyun interrupted him with slow head shakes and a sardonic smile. “Don’t waste your breath. Maybe if you and Jeon hadn’t been in town I might have believed it.”

Junhui sighed in defeat. No matter what he said now, Jaehyun would take it as him trying to cover for Wonwoo and himself. “Do you enjoy doing this? Pinning blames on innocent people?”

Actually laughing, he stared down at him. “There’s nothing innocent about you or Jeon.”

“And you’re a saint?” Junhui questioned, which stunned him. “So far, all the trouble and incidents had been because of you: the fire at the Jeon House, the animals escaping at the fair, Mrs. Ginger’s shop getting vandalized, and this field! All you.”

Jaehyun’ mouth formed a thin line as his hands balled up. Normally, this would be the point when Junhui would stop. Any sane person would when standing alone with a guy who hated them in a place that no one knew about. But Junhui couldn’t stop himself.

“What do you even gain from making me responsible for every single bad thing that happens? Hasn’t the destruction of your mother’s field enough of an eye-opener? One day, Jaehyun, blaming me for what you do won’t work anymore.” When he didn’t reply, Junhui sighed and turned around to leave.

Halfway to the edge of the grass, Jaehyun called, “What happened between your brother and Cho Hana?”

Pausing, Junhui turned over his shoulder. “They broke up. And before you ask, no, I didn’t cause that, either.” Junhui resumed his walk, but Jaehyun continued.

“So it was just a coincidence that he ended the relationship after you and Hana had words together?”

Junhui’s jaw dropped. “Have you been following me?”

“I know you know more than you’re letting on,” he stated, coming closer until he stood right in front of him. “I’m just waiting for you to slip, then I’ll gather all the evidence I need to show everyone what you and Jeon really are.” The last words—the threat—he leaned in close to the boy’s face to deliver the message. “I will drive you out of town even if it’s the last thing I do.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waaaaaahhhhh just when we think we finally got rid of jaehyun, the asshole returns... ugh. go away, no one likes you!
> 
> so this chapter was a bit on the mellow side. i hope it wasn't boring 😅 next chapter is gonna be full of action, so hurray! (with that said, i have bad news... i have another midterm next week, so i won't be able to post the chapter until the following weekend 😔 i'm sorry......)
> 
> about the scene in the bathroom. i know i told couple of you that it was gonna be a little risqué, but it didn't end up happening 😅 I TRIED, YOU GUYS, BUT IT DIDN'T WORK. it came out really awkward and forced, so i let wonhui do their thing instead. (i still managed to squeeze in my marking kink, though 👀)
> 
> as always, thank you very much for reading! i hope it didn't disappoint 😅  
> xoxoxo
> 
>  
> 
> (like i said, ch. 29 will unfortunately not be posted until the weekend of next week bc of my exam. booooooo!)


	29. Trials and Tribulations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WonHui are put on trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello guys! i am aliiiiiiiiive! hahaha
> 
> so as promised, this is going to be quite an exciting chapter! ACTION!!!! 
> 
> happy reading! ^_^
> 
> -

_ _

 

_ August _

 

Finally after all this time, Wonwoo held the Healing Stone in his hands, feeling its strength radiate out in pulses. Its appearance no longer looked dull, and the glow remained constantly bright. Wonwoo had successfully achieved the task which Taeseung had entrusted him. Channeling his powers to get them to behave as his ancestor’s proved to be one of the hardest training weeks of his life. It was a miracle he could even pull it off. He would still need to train and practice how to handle the two extremes of his abilities, but for now, this was good enough. With the Stone at the ready, there was only one thing remaining: go to the Clan and place it in the water inconspicuously.

A lot simpler in theory than in practice.

Three months ago, if someone had told Wonwoo that once he acquired the Healing Stone he’d have to strategize his return to the Clan, he would have considered them insane. Yet, here he sat, contemplating exit routes and blind spots. The reality was so different from what he had always imagined. The Stone’s recovery was supposed to symbolize his glory, the glory of the Jeon name, to redeem the treacherous sins Taeseung committed against the Clan. It was meant to be a day of celebration and acceptance and salvation.

How different things turned out.

Apparently—by an act of fate, Wonwoo supposed—history was about to repeat itself: another Jeon was leaving the Alcaeus Clan for a human. Unlike Taeseung, though, Wonwoo wouldn’t leave the fate of his people in the hands of another. He will save the Tarac River and ultimately the people who tried to kill him. They might even succeed tonight, who knew?

Although Wonwoo would get the advantage of the dark thanks to the new moon, if a clan member were to step outside and notice movement, he wouldn’t be shown pity. Keegan’s words rang in his head: _we may not be able to kill you, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t take you to the edge of death. Trust me, son, you will wish you could die_.

These thoughts kept following his every move, affecting every decision he made. What was stopping Keegan and his men from continuing to hunt for him and Junhui once Wonwoo put the Stone back? He wanted to do the right thing, he wanted to grant Taeseung’s favor in such a way that wouldn’t get himself killed. But if he were to silently put the Stone back, how would anyone know the truth about the Elders and Taeseung? Moreover, would he have to take Junhui far away, the two of them on the run for the rest of their lives? He couldn’t do that to him; he’d already uprooted Junhui’s quiet life.

Tossing the Stone between his hands, he contemplated his options. The way Wonwoo saw it, he held the bargaining chip in his possession right now. As long as he did, Keegan and the rest of them would have to listen to what he had to say and meet his demands. In exchange of the Stone, they would have to leave him and Junhui alone, which included no interference from the Clan at all, whether directly or not. Upholding the law and agreements was one of the few things the Elders did religiously.

At worse, they’d punish him and give him the same fate as his father’s. No matter the outcome, Junhui would be safe from them. Without Wonwoo alive to continue the Jeon bloodline, there was no need for them to get to Junhui.

At that moment, his plan changed. Wonwoo wouldn’t sneak into the night like a coward. He will execute this task with the same approach he’d done so many others: confronting the issue directly.

Obviously, he didn’t mention any of this to Junhui. With all the stress weighing down lately, he expected the boy to fall into pieces at any moment. Junhui was probably more scared of the whole affair than he was, and keeping the details secret didn’t help alleviate the anxiety, but this was one thing Wonwoo couldn’t give up to spare him from worrying. Wonwoo was doing it _for_ Junhui’s sake; Junhui just didn’t need to know about it.

The evening in question, Wonwoo drove him home and they sat in the car for a minute in silence. Inside the house, the kitchen lights were turned on, and he could glimpse Hyejin moving back and forth by the sink. Junhui, when Wonwoo turned to look at him, didn’t see anything but his shoes. His chin practically touched his chest as he stared at a spot around his feet. He had been very quiet the whole day, and his smiles had been strained.

Now he fidgeted with something in the pocket of his jacket. Curious, Wonwoo watched as he pulled out the lanyard he hung his keys and various other trinkets on. The objects hit each other as he moved, making clinging sounds. Junhui still didn’t say anything to him as he gathered the lot close to his face in order to detach one of them.

Succeeding, Junhui smiled slightly and glanced over to him. “Here.” Taking his hand, the younger deposited the small object into his palm.

Looking at it, it appeared to be a piece of jade carved into the shape of a rotund rabbit, no larger than a fingernail, attached to a chain. Puzzled, Wonwoo moved his eyes to the boy’s face, and Junhui explained, “My parents gave me that charm when I was in third grade after my bunny ran away. It’s sort of been my lucky charm over the years. Keep it with you, but you gotta promise to give it back to me.”

Seeing that look of profound hope mixed in with worry, Wonwoo almost became undone and told him the change of plan. But at the last minute, he resisted. There was no point in worrying him more than necessary. Instead, Wonwoo smiled and closed his fingers around the charm. “I promise.”

Wonwoo walked him to the front door, and pulled him into his arms. Junhui tightened his hold on him, burying his face against the other’s shirt. “Be good, kitten. Try to not get into trouble while I’m gone.”

Junhui laughed, but it sounded hollow. He snuggled closer, pressing his lips at the base of Wonwoo’s throat. “Remember. You promised, Wonwon.”

The nickname caught him off-guard, and he stifled a laugh, brow arched as he looked down at the boy in his arms. “Wonwon?”

Junhui’s cheeks were pink as he pursed his lip, then burrowed his face into the older’s chest. “What? You don’t like it?”

“I didn’t say that. It’s just… not exactly a name you’d give a fierce demon.”

Popping out of hiding, Junhui retorted, “Well, you’re not a fierce demon. You’re a cute one.”

Unable to hold it, Wonwoo burst into laughter, head thrown back as the hilarity of the statement. Talk about something he never thought he’d hear from anyone, much less Wen Junhui, the boy who used to be terrified by his mere presence. Once he calmed down, he noticed the soft smile and tender look Junhui regarded him. So this had been his purpose—to comfort and ease Wonwoo’s own anxiety. His heart suddenly felt so full.

“Thanks, kitten,” he said, gaze just as tender as he stroked the boy’s cheek.

Junhui grinned a little brighter and clung to him.

Eventually, the sweet moment had to come to an end. As much as Wonwoo wanted to stay, he needed to finish this once and for all. He kissed Junhui and got on his way.

The road to the village was so familiar, Wonwoo could have found his way asleep. What differed this time, though, was the feeling that accompanied him. While the path used to bring him closer to home, now it led him away from it. The further he drove, the more restless he felt. The pleasant fluttering in his chest seemed to fluctuate, unsatisfied at the distance between him and Junhui, before slowly fading. He never could have imagined how unsettled the silence felt, as though his connection to Junhui was severed.

Shaking his head, he forced himself to focus. The faster he got finished, the sooner he’ll get to go home.

Arriving at the edge of the woods, Wonwoo spotted the river flowing calmly under the moonless night. The water couldn’t be more than four or five feet deep now.

At the shore, Wonwoo looked around him to find no one at all. Everything was so still, he had a moment of hesitation. One hand held the Stone, the other fingered the little jade talisman in his pocket. If he were to throw the Stone into the water and run, by the time anyone heard the noise and came, he’d be long gone. Unfortunately, that would only solve the immediate issue. It did nothing for what was to come next. It didn’t guarantee Junhui’s safety.

Resolved, Wonwoo backed away from the water and took the first steps into the quiet village. Accounting the duration of the trip from Diamond Creek to the village, he had timed it to be late enough that the villagers would be all asleep. Now he was the only one walking the empty streets. With sure steps, he made the appropriate turns until he got to the right house.

Its lights were the only ones still on, as it were always the case. Wonwoo didn’t knock; he marched straight into the man’s office. Only a small reading lamp provided a feeble glow in the dark. Keegan stood by the opposite wall, his back to Wonwoo, looking out the window. If he had been there all this time, he would’ve seen the younger by the water’s edge, yet he didn’t send anyone out to fetch him. Obviously, Wonwoo had underestimated Keegan’s ability to predict his moves.

“Are you ready to come home?” he asked, finally turning around to face the younger.

“Yes. Unfortunately, we no longer define ‘home’ as the same location,” Wonwoo replied.

The frown at the corners of the other’s mouth deepened, but he refrained from commenting.

“Nevertheless,” Wonwoo went on. “I do have the Stone.”

He arched a brow. “Why bother, considering you have clearly chosen to follow in your traitorous ancestors’ footsteps?”

Despite it all, Wonwoo found himself smiling. “We both know that’s not true. If your spy had been quicker and more competent, I wouldn’t have found out so much from those books. I’m sure you didn’t imagine the Stone would also be stashed in Taeseung’s secret room.”

Keegan narrowed his eyes, but he stayed level-headed. “I imagine you didn’t come all the way here to gloat. Tell me what it is that you want in exchange for the Stone.”

“I want you to guarantee that from now on, no one under any order will come after Junhui and me, or anyone connected to us. No interference from the Clan at all.”

Watching him for a moment, Keegan seemed to think it over. Finally, he nodded. “Fine. Let this be your final thread connecting you to the Clan. After you place the Stone in the river and leave the village, we will no longer have anything to do with each other.You have my word.”

Warily, he let Keegan guide him to the door. “You had so much potential, Wonwoo,” the latter told him as he opened the door. “It’s a shame you made this decision.”

“I’m sure you won’t have any difficulty finding another young and naive mind to mold and control.”

Not waiting for his reply, Wonwoo set off into the streets toward the river again. A few steps in, something felt different. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on ends, leading him to stop and monitor the surrounding. It had been quiet when he first arrived, but now the silence was stifling and overwhelming. The usual sounds of the night had vanished, and a palpable tension hung in the air.

_After you place the Stone in the river and leave the village, we will no longer have anything to do with each other. You have my word._

_After_.

Realizing the word play, Wonwoo sprinted.

He didn’t get far. Before he could reach the limits of the village, an invisible force hit him from the side. The collision sent him sliding into the closest building, cracking his skull against the wall.

Disoriented and hurting, he scrambled to his feet, using the wall behind him as support. Before he could even get his bearings, brightness in the forms of torches approached. The sudden contrast forced him to wince. When Wonwoo managed to open his eyes, he was surrounded by a horde of more than fifty Alcaeusians.

_Shit._

He raised his hand and aimed at them. He’d never used his destructive powers on any living beings, but there was a first time for everything. Despite the throbbing in his head, he could feel the steady stream of energy coursing through his body.

When it suddenly halted.

So focused on using his powers, he hadn’t picked up on the shadow that slithered up behind him. Neither did he feel the hefty weight of the metal cuff around his left arm until now. The ancient symbol on the band glowed red as his powers were locked away. Wonwoo hissed at the burn, one hand reflexively grabbing at the object in a futile attempt to remove it.

Flicking his gaze upward, he saw a group of cloaked men approaching him. Sanghun marched at the front, torched raised high to show his sly grin stretching his thin face. He knelt down and picked up the fallen Stone. Behind him, Arawn, Howan, and Iseul came forward, their contempt etched into the hard planes of their faces. Keegan was nowhere in sight.

“Welcome back,Wonwoo,” Sanghun sneered.

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

Lately, the universe had not been very forgiving toward Junhui. Of course, it hadn’t exactly been forgiving over the years, either, but the past weeks seemed to accumulate more bad fortune than usual. There was the near-death experience running underground after finding out about the secret treasure room kept by Taeseung and Mikyung. After that, Wonwoo decided on obliging Taeseung’s wish, which meant going back to the Alcaeus Clan and hand them the Stone. That alone agonized him, but apparently, it wasn’t enough. Last week came Jaehyun’s threat and how he would expose everything Junhui was hiding and get him and Wonwoo kicked out of town.

From everything Jaehyun had already done, it didn’t require much imagination to realize that he would act on his word. For the first time in ten years, Junhui wished that he could see Jaehyun in town. After his threat in the Clearing, Jaehyun had practically disappeared—gathering evidence, as he had called it. On top of that, a weird sensation of apprehension hung heavily in the streets, causing him to look over his shoulder every two minutes. When he casually brought it up, though, neither his mother nor Soonyoung noticed anything out of the ordinary.

These thoughts kept Junhui occupied for a while, but the one that truly stole sleep and concentration concerned Wonwoo. He left for the village last night. He should have been back by this morning. Now it was nearing early afternoon, and there was still no signs of him. Swallowing, Junhui glanced out of the window for the third time within the minute. He yawned despite himself.

In the middle of the night, something had woken him up. Something that he still couldn’t determine the origin of. He had jolted awake, panting as he clutched his chest. His heartbeat thundered erratically, squeezing painfully. A layer of cold sweat covered his skin, and his palms were clammy. He couldn’t go back to sleep after that.

Without any signs of Wonwoo, he couldn’t help thinking that it was an omen. Something must have happened to him. Junhui never should’ve let him go. He would rather have him hate him for the rest of his life because Junhui thwarted his wishes to fulfill his responsibilities toward his people, than not having him at all. Not for the first time since his shocking awakening, he wished he had convinced Wonwoo to leave his mark on him. At least then, Junhui would have some sort of clue as to Wonwoo’s welfare. At least physically.

Unable to sit still, Junhui paced back and forth along the length of the living room, glancing out the window every time he passed by the purple pillow on the couch.

The sound of a car rolling onto the dirt sent a thrill through his body. Buzzing with the relief, Junhui spun toward the window, expecting to see the black car parked in its usual spot. His heart sank like a rock when he saw the silver sports car and its driver. As if to really twist the knife into his heart, several more cars followed after Jaehyun’s into the yard. Some of them Junhui recognized from Hyejin’s friends, others he didn’t. One by one, they turned off their engines and gathered in a group.

_What is happening? Why are the townspeople here? Why are they here with Jaehyun?_

“Mom?” he called quietly, eyes glued to the chattering group outside the window. When she didn’t hear him from her studies, he got louder, shriller, “Mom!”

“What is it?” she jogged out, troubled by the tone he’d used. When she saw the crowd, though, she shared a confused look with him. “Did they just get here?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “What do they want?” _They’re going to run me out of town_ , was all he could think of.

Fortunately for them, the blinds over the windows let the pair observe the crowd without them being seen. The group gathered outside the house for a minute, talking among themselves. Then another car came, a white SUV.

“What is the mayor doing here?” Hyejin wondered, her eyebrows furrowing.

Mayor Daniel Ahn and Jaehyun shared a quick conversation. Whatever Jaehyun said, his uncle agreed with firm nods. Then the latter righted his suit jacket and headed for their porch, climbing the couple steps to knock on the door. Hyejin moved unsteadily toward the hall, but Junhui grabbed her arm to hold her back.

“Don’t! Just pretend we’re not home,” he hissed.

“Junhui, I can’t. My car is parked right there.”

And so while his heart threatened to explode, she went to answer the door. Junhui hid under their dinning table, hearing the low voices and glimpsing at the angry faces of the townspeople in the yard through the open doorway.

“Good afternoon, Hyejin,” Mayor Ahn began politely, his baritone voice low. “Is Junhui at home?”

“What’s this about, Daniel?”

“We’d like to speak with you both for a moment, please.”

His mother hesitated for a second, then turned inside. “Come on out, honey.”

Like a kid who just got called to the front of the class, Junhui crawled out and stumbled forward, his hands knotting and unknotting as he curled in on himself. Standing out on the porch with so many staring at him, he suddenly felt sick. Noticing it, his mother took hold of his hand and stood tall despite her short stature.

“What’s going on?” she asked Mayor Ahn again, but glanced at his nephew and the rest of the crowd.

Among them, Junhui spotted Soonyoung with eyes as big as his, confused as ever. His friend mouthed out “What’s going on?” to which Junhui helplessly shook his head. A few cars away stood Seokmin, wearing a very rare serious expression as he looked at the scene. Mrs. Yoon was also among the attendees, and she seemed to know what was about to unfold. She looked pleased, while Jeonghan showed clear displeasure as he glared at everyone with narrowed us. Next to him, Seungcheol had his arms crossed, brows knitted together. Jisoo held Violet’s little hand, talking to her softly. When he noticed Junhui looking their way, he offered the younger a sympathetic smile.

Junhui did his best to return the gesture, but his stomach rolled at the sight of the Gossip Brigade members and their families. Like Mrs. Yoon, they found today’s event full of excitement, mouths twitching and teetering among themselves. He cut his eyes away. Farther down the driveway, he was surprised to see Jackson and the other guys from the garage. Did the entire town get a notice to come here?

Mayor Ahn’s voice called him back to attention. “It appears that Junhui has been keeping a very dangerous secret from us all. Jaehyun asked me to gather the inhabitants of Diamond Creek, as well as Junhui, in order to check the facts.”

His eyes snapped to Jaehyun’s arrogant and smug face. Oh, he was pleased and enjoying this. There wasn’t going to be any fact checked. This was a trial, a denunciation that will turn into a public execution. As Junhui kept his eyes on him, Jaehyun cocked his head to the side, grinning at him maliciously.

“I’m sure there’s some misunderstanding somewhere,” Hyejin said, most likely thinking about her son’s Crystal. Never could she imagine how much he hid from her.

“With all due respect, Mrs. Wen,” Jaehyun jumped in, “your son has been lying to everyone, including you.”

Ignoring Junhui’s silent pleas for him to stop, Jaehyun turned to the crowd. “We all know that Wen Junhui isn’t normal—not since that accident ten years ago. But most of us gave him a chance, an education, a job,” he indicated toward Mrs. Yoon, who nodded, “friends, a place to live and belong.” He paused, as if composing his thoughts. “Yet it has come to my utter shock to discover that Junhui had been gambling with the welfare of Diamond Creek and its inhabitants.”

Everyone, including Hyejin, turned to stare at Junhui in stupefaction and confusion. Everywhere he looked, eyes followed him.

“Go on, Junhui,” Jaehyun taunted him. “Tell them I’m wrong.” He raised his voice, victory echoing with every word, “Tell them Jeon Wonwoo is _not_ a blood-thirsty demon!”

His knees felt weak, and Junhui had to grab onto the railing in order to stop himself from falling over. Ice jolts shot down his spine, while his heart hammered in his chest. He couldn’t breathe. _This is not happening._

The crowd broke into sharp gasps and loud muttering. So overwhelmed, Junhui couldn’t even check on his friends to see what their reactions were. Everything was falling apart, and he was powerless to do anything to protect Wonwoo and his family.

Jaehyun spoke up above the noise,“As if it wasn’t enough that the Jeon murders of the 1900s darkened our town’s name, Junhui’s incident ten years ago brought the town into bankruptcy. Now that another Jeon returns, rather than letting us know of the danger, he sides with him! He let demons come into our town like a common playground. All those animals we found dead in the woods were hunted and devoured by them! Are we just going to stand here and do nothing about it?” More muttering among the people, this time angrier, louder.

“Junhui has brought nothing but misfortune to us!” he continued. “The reason Jeon came to town was because of him! The damn rock that courses through Junhui’s veins. Jeon has one just like it. It’s no wonder they would find each other.” He glared at him in disgust. “Let’s pull up some recent incident: Mr. Sanders’ panic attack.” A look in the crowd showed the older man standing to the side next to his wife. “That panic attack was induced, wasn’t it? The man that you said you saw, he’s from the same demon clan as Jeon. Junhui knew about it, but again, he said nothing, too worried about protecting that monster than letting us all know.”

Meeting Soonyoung’s startled gaze, Junhui felt completely helpless. If only what Jaehyun said wasn’t true, Junhui would be able to speak. But as twisted as he made it sound, everything was true.

“Just to show you how heartless he is, how his nature comes to hurt everyone,” Jaehyun resumed his speech, “Junhui inadvertently made his brother a victim in this game, too.”

Junhui’s head snapped toward him, eyes wide. How the hell did he find out about Hana?

“Can anyone remember Cho Alice?” Jaehyun asked the crowd, scanning the faces. No one did. According to Hana, after the accident, the Cho family moved away, leaving no trace of her at all.

“Cho Alice was Xu Minghao’s best friend and later became his girlfriend. Because Jeon’s Clan wanted Junhui’s Crystal, they decided to play a little matchmaker.” As he explained the whole backstory then linked it back to Junhui, the latter searched the crowd for Hana, but she was nowhere in sight. Maybe she was smart enough to not show up. At the end of the story, people were even more rallied up. While Jaehyun took a break to breathe and feel the masses follow him, there was movement among the people.

They were all moving away, making room for someone to walk to the front. For a second, Junhui’s heart stopped beating, willing that Wonwoo was not the one to show up now.

Wonwoo didn’t step out from the group.

Minghao did, Mingyu following closely behind him.

Jaehyun appeared to be surprised, but not so much that he didn’t take it as an opportunity to destroy the person he hated most. “Minghao, since your brother seems to be a bit lost for words, do you have anything to say?”

“I have a question for you,” Minghao began as he climbed up the steps. “What is it that you’re trying to do by calling everyone here?”

Taken aback, Jaehyun stared at Minghao then glanced at the crowd. “I want the town to know what he has done, how he chose to associate himself with that demon—”

“Don’t pretend to be so righteous,” Minghao spit out. “You are pathetic enough to go after a kid who’s been living his entire life for the sake of others.” Jaehyun blinked, opening his mouth to say something, but Minghao didn’t give him the chance. “You use Dr. Minji’s death as an excuse to treat everyone like dirt in order to make yourself feel better. That’s not grieving, that’s pitiful.” He turned to the people and addressed them. “I’m not saying what Junhui did was right, but don’t let what Jaehyun said influence your thoughts. My brother didn’t ask to get sick and to have that rock stuck inside him. He certainly did not ask to lose a father.” He looked at Jaehyun. “or to cause anyone’s death.”

Some chatter started again.

“Before today, none of you had any problem accepting him, as long as it benefitted you. Think about it. For ten years, he’s been running around town trying to make amends for something he had no control over. You took all he had to offer. Now Park Jaehyun puts him on trial, and you have no difficulty agreeing with him without looking back at the good Junhui’s done for you.

“But fine, let’s just say that the good he had done was to pay for what his illness cost the town,” Minghao allowed. “It doesn’t excuse the fact that Junhui willingly let a demon live among us, right?”

“If every demon was as polite and tipped as generously as him,” Seungcheol interjected, “Then I’ll welcome them all to my shop.” The older met Junhui’s gaze and gave him a firm nod. Next to him, Jeonghan motioned for Junhui perk up, drawing a smiley face on his own mouth, prompting the younger to giggle despite himself. The knots in his stomach ease a slight.

Seungcheol’s remark elicited some laughter from Hansol and Chan, but Seungkwan shushed them so he could the rest, all the while shooting daggers to the back of Jaehyun’s head.

The latter shot Seungcheol a nasty look. “This isn’t a laughing matter. Jeon’s people caused Mr. Sander’s panic attack, which could have seriously injured him.”

“But it was Junhui who found him!” Soonyoung exclaimed, apparently having gotten over his shock. “You can’t just make random claims and clump them all together in order to make your point. If it hadn’t been for Junhui showing up at that time and helping him, Mr. Sanders could have _died!”_ Quickly turning to the man in question, Soonyoung bowed respectively. Mr. Sanders merely grunted in agreement.

“Right,” Minghao nodded, getting back to the topic and cutting off Jaehyun’s retort. “Why should my brother receive the fallout of such despicable actions, when it was clearly caused by someone else? And don’t say he was protecting Jeon Wonwoo, because the guy wasn’t to blame, either. Making him take the fall for something his clan member did would be like saying Junhui is to blame for all the misfortune and incidents that occurred this summer, when the real criminal is you.”

A collective and audible gasp erupted through the crowd at the outrageous claim. Snapping out of the angry fog brought on the others’ speeches, Jaehyun paled. His head spun toward his friends. They, too, turned as white as snow now that they realized their little secrets were about to be known. Not only would Jaehyun get in trouble, so would they for assisting in his schemes.

“The Jeon House catching fire, the farm animals, Mrs. Ginger’s shop vandalism—all courtesy of Park Jaehyun.” Minghao watched him evenly. “Go on, tell them it isn’t true.”

Of course, he couldn’t. His mouth seemed to be glued tight. On the other hand, his eyes flamed with unspoken hatred. The mayor was also lost for words.

Gritting his teeth, he spit out, “Why should we listen to anything you’re saying? You clearly have a bias. It’s about your own brother.”

Mingyu stepped up, partially shielding the brothers behind him. “And your hatred toward Junhui has been known for a decade. Isn’t that in and of itself a rather strong bias? We all know about the dirty tricks you pull, the way you obsessively target him. You’ve been terrifying the poor kid for years. The only reason no one ever said anything is because it would have troubled Junhui. But you’ve dug your grave, and it’s time you lay in it.”

“You have no proof!”

“Actually, we do,” Seokmin raised his voice, getting everyone’s attention. “We conducted a small interview with the kids who were caught setting fireworks on the Jeon property. All their stories include you as the person who told them where to go.”

Jaehyun fisted his hands so tightly, Junhui half-expected to see him break skin.

“As for Farmer Jung’s animals, a witness came forward with details of you and your little group of friends sneaking into the enclosure mere minutes before they were set loose.”

Vince and Lynn sputtered, most likely about to protest, but nothing coherent moved past their lips. The crowd was getting all the more agitated now, especially when Seokmin brought down the final nail in the coffin.

“Sheriff Mathias also found a shoe print on a fallen table, one from a rather expensive brand,” he said, pointedly glancing at Jaehyun’s feet. The latter began to shake from how much tension he exerted on his muscles. “And whoever the vandals were, they destroyed all the surveillance cameras, except for one. It fell to the ground, but it kept recording, capturing the culprits from knee down.”

“Those are all circumstantial evidence at best!” Jaehyun shouted.

Seokmin, unruffled, shrugged and grinned brightly. “Maybe, that’s why we’re leaving it to the district attorney to decide.”

If looks could kill, Junhui would have coughed up blood now by the intensity of Jaehyun’s scowl. He could feel the hatred and anger radiating out of him in vibes. If it weren’t for Mingyu and Minghao standing between him and Jaehyun, Junhui would have run for the nearest furniture to hide under.

“Arrest him, officer!” Seungkwan shouted, and Chan shouted in agreement.

“And his accomplices, too!”

“I don’t have my orders yet,” Seokmin explained. “Sheriff Mathias is working out the details right now. It’s best if you guys don’t leave town.”

Speechless, Mayor Ahn blinked at his nephew.

“Well, Daniel,” Hyejin said as casually as she could. “I think we’re done for today.”

As the adults moved to the side to speak, the crowd began to disperse. Only some key players stayed behind. Seokmin had to return to the station, and Violet had fallen asleep so her parents put her in the car seat. Before they left, they came over to offer Junhui comforting hugs, and Jeonghan told him he still loved him even if he might be canoodling with a demon.

“Hannie!”

Laughing, the older patted his cheek and left with Seungcheol and Jisoo.

Soonyoung lingered for a while, nearly bursting with questions. Unfortunately, before he could satisfy his craving, a phone call from an important client sent him away.

“We are going to have a very long conversation later, Moon Junnie,” he vowed.

Junhui nodded and stepped up to hug him tightly. “Thank you for sticking up for me, Hoshi.”

“Of course,” he laughed. “What are best friends for? Plus, it felt so incredible satisfying!” His phone rang again, rushing him, so he waved goodbye, then drove his brother, along with Seungkwan and Hansol home.

By the time Junhui looked back toward his house, Minghao and Jaehyun were having some kind of showdown.

“How the hell did you find out about all that?” his brother demanded. “Even if you did stalk Junhui, there’s no way you could have known so much.”

The latter glared at Junhui, then responded to Minghao. “I met Jeon’s mother.”

“What?” Minghao and Junhui both exclaimed.

“She said she heard I was looking for some answers concerning you and her son. If I relayed her message to you, she’d tell me all I wanted to know.”

“What message?” Junhui asked, his heart jumping into his throat. All the relief from the end of the trial disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving behind nothing but anxiety and fear.

Jaehyun crossed his arms in front of him. “Jeon isn’t coming back, and if you were smart, you’d stay away.”

Narrowing his eyes, Junhui looked at him skeptically. It sounded like a trap. Wonwoo wouldn’t abandon him. He promised.

The other boy scoffed. “Don’t believe me?” He searched something in his pocket and pulled out a silver chain with a jade carving. “She also told me to give you this.”

Grabbing the pendant, Junhui really felt like he would fall apart. His head spun, and he wobbled.

“Jun!” Mingyu caught him by the arm, but he hardly noticed.

He cradled the charm in his palm. Voice shaky, he asked, “What have they done to him?”

“Don’t know, didn’t care, didn’t ask.” Jaehyun rolled his eyes and sighed as if he were extremely annoyed.

Where it came from, Junhui wasn’t quite sure. All the negative emotions, all the fear and worry coiled together, and his self-control snapped. He slapped Jaehyun across the face, the smack surprising all of them. His palm burned from the impact, but it was nothing compared to the sting in his eyes or the spiky ball in his throat.

“How could a woman like Dr. Minji have a wretched and vile son like you?” Junhui huffed out.

Scoffing, Jaehyun straightened himself out. “Too bad she’s not here to answer you.”

“Hey!” Minghao warned.

Ignoring it, Jaehyun glanced back at his uncle and Hyejin. “Don’t blame me if they suddenly come to claim him and destroy the entire town. I tried to warn you and get rid of the problem.” With those parting words, he glared at Junhui, then got into his car.

“Jaehyun!” Mayor Ahn called, but he was ignored as the sports car roared to life and sped down the road.

“I’m sorry for all the trouble,” Junhui heard Mayor Ahn tell Hyejin with a tired sigh as the brothers and Mingyu headed inside. His brain wanted to explode.

Mingyu took a glance at them and decided to go grab some water, leaving Junhui alone with Minghao.

“Thank you for coming to save me. Again. I don’t think I would have made it out alive without you.”

He smiled, tucking the younger to his side and patting his shoulder. “Some things just don’t change, Jelly Beans.”

Chuckling, Junhui nodded into his shirt.

The front door opened, and Hyejin came in, shaking her head. “Well, there goes the afternoon,” she mumbled, quite still out of it. “Are you okay?”

Junhui nodded. “I guess.”

She came over and stroked his hair. “I wish you would’ve told me about Wonwoo—the whole truth about him.”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just… I promised.”

What Junhui needed right now was some time for his mind to process what had just happened. Despite being present and hearing everything, it hadn’t had the time to compute what it all meant, and what was going to happen next. Now that the truth was told, what were they going to do?

And Wonwoo...

His stomach twisted into knots.

Loud pounding on the door made him jump. _Was I never going to get a break?_ Mingyu ran out of the kitchen, right as Minghao pulled the door open. A terrified, frenzied Minsoo rushed in without hesitation. Breathing hard, she reached Junhui, her violet eyes wild.

“They’re going to kill him!”

 

* ･ﾟﾟ･ * -: ✧ :- * ･ﾟﾟ･ *

 

The situation turned absolutely surreal. They were accusing Wonwoo of treachery and theft, putting him on trial for crimes he never committed. His people, of course, had been living hearing so many lies that they could no longer distinguish between true and false. Arawn had pulled him to his feet, and taking advantage of Wonwoo’s bewildered state, tied his hands behind his back. The more he struggled, the more the metal cuff burned, repressing his powers. He gritted his teeth and endured the torture.

In the meantime, the masses gathered thicker. Arawn shoved Wonwoo forward with Iseul on his side, following after Sanghun and Howan. Wonwoo’s head still rung from the collision, but he knew where they were taking him: the village square.

As they got close, the wooden platform came into view. He searched for answers on the faces around him, but it didn’t become clear until he was forced to kneel on the stage, confronted with the cold truth. The four Elders stood guard next to him, two on either side. Then Keegan appeared, that infuriating grin on his face, triumphant.

The announcement was made: they had captured the traitor right before he could rob the last Stone recently acquired.

They played him, and Wonwoo had made it too easy. They knew him too well.

“It seems that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” Keegan noted. “My dear friends and family,” he gestured grandly, “Tonight, we may sleep in peace!”

They cheered. They cheered in ignorance. And he was a fool.

“What shall we do with you now?” Keegan wondered idly, as if he didn’t already know _exactly_ what was going to happen to him. Wonwoo’s fate landed in his hands the moment the younger stepped into his house with the Stone.

Wonwoo kept his eyes forward, not seeing anything. The crowd was silent, waiting for the judgement and sentence to be announced. This hardly differed from whenMinsoo’s mother and aunt were executed.

_Minsoo!_ Frantically, Wonwoo searched for her among the sea of people.

On his left, Sanghun spoke up. “I say he should be submitted to the same fate as his father.”

“Considering he’s the last of the Jeon line,” Howan interjected, “Let’s just see how potent that Crystal is in protecting from him death.”

Finally, Wonwoo spotted her. Her eyes were brimming with tears as she bit the top of her thumb. “I’m sorry,” he mouthed. Her head nodded slightly. She was standing on the very edge, hidden behind the corner. She was right in doing so; however distant, they were cousins. It wouldn’t take long before they took her in, too.

“I think I might have a better idea,” Keegan said now, pacing toward Wonwoo. With a head gesture, he ordered the guards behind their prisoner, “Get him on his feet and empty his pockets.”

His keys, coins, and the jade pendant landed at his feet. Keegan retrieved the trinket between two fingers and brought it close to his face. A wide grin spread across his face.

“Don’t you dare—” Wonwoo jerked against the brutes holding him, only to grunt gruffly when the cuff reacted to the burst of powers coming from him.

The vile grin only widened when he saw that Wonwoo understood what he wanted. “Oh, Jiyeong!” he called sweetly. Wonwoo’s blood boiled as his mother appeared, climbing up the steps. She afforded him a cool glance, then directed her attention to Keegan.

“Yes?”

“Don’t you find this charming?” he asked, then laughed. “Get the boy here. I believe I have found a solution to get rid of both Crystal pieces at the same time.”

For a moment, his mother actually looked... appalled. But as soon as the sentiment came, it vanished. Her cold elegance masked her true emotions once again. “You plan on torturing both of them?”

He smiled, then shook his head. “No, not quite in that sense.” Turning to Wonwoo, he said, “I’m going to show you the exact reason why love and devotion are weaknesses.”

The gleam in his eyes was so cold, so full of hatred and bitterness. Keeping his gaze on him, he ordered their captive away. “Take him into lockup. I’ll be down there shortly.”

The cells were dark, the torches in the corridors hardly offering any light at all. Fortunately, Wonwoo was the only one down here. He was sitting with his back against the stone wall, contemplating his miserable and pitiful existence when the doors at the end of the hall opened and shut. As promised, he thought, Keegan was going to grant him his presence.

Footsteps soon echoed down the stone corridors, and shadows danced as the figure approached the cell. For a moment, he hesitated. They sounded too light to be from the Elder. When he looked over, it was indeed not Keegan.

His mother stood on the other side of the bars. The red hood covered her face, but he could still see that impassive expression he’d come to know and loath. She stood there without saying anything for a moment, as if absorbing the scene.

“Please, don’t give me that look, Wonwoo,” she said impatiently.

Rolling his eyes, he glared at the floor. “I’m certain this scene pleases you. I disobeyed, I went out of line, and now I am getting the deserved punishment.”

“You knew how high the chances of you getting caught were,” she stated. “Why come back at all?”

He stared at her, incredulous. “Because I’m not like you and the rest of them. I know right from wrong, and I’m capable of gambling my life for people I care about.”

“How are your actions tonight supposed to keep that boy safe?”

“This isn’t just about Junhui!” Wonwoo exclaimed. “Do you really think I can leave you and the village for dead when I held salvation in my hands? It’s not like I could simply erase my past and pretend that I was raised in the human world for the past twenty-four years.” Stunned, she couldn’t find the words to reply. Wonwoo lowered his voice. “Now I know why none of you carry a conscience—the burden is too much to bear for the heartless.”

A small, sad smile tugged a corner of her mouth as she glanced downward. “That’s what you think of me, isn’t it? A heartless woman, undeserving of being called a mother.”

“Have you ever shown me any warmth?” he questioned bitterly. “My entire life, I’d had to seek affection and tenderness from strangers because my own mother couldn’t bear to show me any.”

“Have you ever considered that perhaps someone becomes heartless only by dint of caring and loving too much?” she asked, her voice softening like never before. Instantly, his guards mounted, and he became wary. He knew her enough to expect this tactic from her. “It was a long time ago, but that doesn’t make it any less significant.”

“But it wasn’t your husband,” he stated as a matter of fact. He had never once believed that his parents had anything close to love.

She shook her head, lowering her gaze. “No, but duties came first, and I had to be married to Joowon no matter what my feelings were.”

“Who was the other person?” How calm and collected he felt throughout this conversation astonished him, but it seemed like they were speaking about people he hardly even knew. Strangers.

“The man who put you behind bars.”

Scoffing incredulously, Wonwoo shook his head and let out a wry laugh. “Is that why he’s doing this? Revenge? Hatred? Retribution?”

She sighed. “Partially, yes, but it goes back much farther than Joowon, you, or me.”

Then it clicked. His eyes snapped up. “Who was the murderer that night? Who really killed Taeseung?”

“Lucien,” she whispered. Taeseung’s best friend, the one he had confided the Stones to. “He resented Taeseung for what he thought was injustice,” she explained. “Taeseung had everything: power, wealth, respect, family, friends... And he just gave it all up and left. The Clan at the time was saddened at the news, but they didn’t stop Taeseung. They remained loyal to him, refusing to follow Lucien’s lead. They held on to the hope that the true King would return someday. It wasn’t long before envy and anger overtook Lucien.

“Of course, the murder was done in a moment of rage. Only afterward did he realize that the people would revolt if they found out the truth. In order to keep everything quiet and to get them to support his reign, Lucien also killed off the spy who went with him to the Jeon House—the unknown male. Then baby Hwan was brought back and raised as our own. Only the Elders ever knew the whole truth.”

Wonwoo supposed it all made sense now. “So Seo Olivia was right: this was a game of patience. Bring the Jeon heir back and thin out the bloodlines until complete annihilation was possible. That’s why you could never love me. I was nothing more than a project to be later slaughtered.”

“I couldn’t bring myself to love you when I knew the end result would be losing you.”

“I’m glad that you found a way to protect yourself from the pain,” Wonwoo commented, “but I wish you could’ve warned me, too. Did you know that once upon a time, I did come to love you?”

Her face remained cold as she stared at him through the bars, but he could’ve sworn he saw tears glistening in her eyes. Yet he felt nothing. They had no foundation, so while it should have made him ache, or at least touched, it didn’t.

“Can’t you see that love brings us nothing but pain?” she whispered, her lips trembling. These were the first signs of her wall cracking. Steadying herself, she breathed in shakily. “This is precisely the reason we condition ourselves as a community to feel nothing.”

Wonwoo couldn’t disagree with the statement. A few months ago, those had been his thoughts, as well. “Can you really feel nothing at all seeing your own flesh and blood sitting behind bars awaiting his execution?”

She swallowed, willing herself to return to the cold façade she had always presented to him. Quickly, Wonwoo got tired of this scene. He didn’t need her to feel pity for him. It had been a long time since he needed her. As the years grew, so did the distance between them. Now there was nothing but formalities that tied them together. Names and technicalities.

With a sigh, he declared, “There’s no point in bringing up the past since we can’t change it.” Wanting to change the subject, he got back to the moment. Emotions didn’t fit his mother. “What are you doing here?”

“Despite myself, I never knew how to be a mother to you; however, there is one last thing I can do for you.” Cautious, Wonwoo listened. “What Keegan plans on doing to Junhui will tear you to pieces a hundred—a thousand times—greater than if he were to come at you directly. My gift to you is to ensure that Junhui stays safe from him.” She paused. “From us.”

Wonwoo didn’t know what to say to that. Shamefully, his initial response was doubt and suspicion. “Just like that?”

The doors to the jail banged open before she could give him an answer. They both looked toward the hall, waiting for the shadow to manifest into Keegan. He seemed slightly surprised to see Jiyeong down here, but it quickly passed.

“Coming to say goodbye?” he asked her, the hint of satisfaction obvious.

She didn’t reply. Instead, she cast Wonwoo one last look, then moved past Keegan and out of the lockup unit. That might be the last time Wonwoo would ever see her, he mused.

“What would you have done if I hadn’t found it?” he wondered, referring to the Stone.

Keegan shrugged. “There was no question in my mind that you would. We trained you well, instilled that desire to bring back justice and save us all,” he laughed bitterly. “You really were a good and loyal Alcaeusian.”

“I still am,” Wonwoo asserted, wiping the smirk off the older’s face momentarily. “You and the rest of them are the ones who betrayed our people, tricking them into believing a false history. Instead of fixing the errors of your grandfather and restore justice to the dead and innocent like an honorable man, you let your personal grievance against my father blind you.” He scoffed. “How dare you judge whether I was a good Alcaeusian when you can’t even distinguish duties from personal gains?” Getting up, he stalked closer to him until they were eye leveled. “Honor, discipline, loyalty. Tell me, how well have you upheld our dictum?”

The short, but violent electric shock burst through his body, sending him flying against the wall. The fact that he expected it from Keegan didn’t make it hurt any less. Groaning, he shut his eyes, waiting for the pain to recede.

On the other side of the cell, Keegan seethed, his eyes burning brighter than the torch. “We’ll see how long that defiant spirit will last once little Junhui gets here.”

Wonwoo’s eyes flashed open as he stared at him from the ground.

“That’s right. You wanted to spend the rest of your paltry life with him, I’ll grant you that last wish. I just can’t guarantee you’ll particularly enjoy it.”

“Wait!” Wonwoo called after him. Slowly, Keegan turned around. Regardless of what his mother promised, Wonwoo couldn’t run the risk. “The conflict is between you and me. Don’t bring Junhui into it—I’ll... Bring me a sword, I’ll do it.”

The corner of his mouth pulled up, and Keegan chuckled. “Oh, Wonwoo, I know you will. But why should I miss the opportunity of watching you suffer beforehand?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WAAAAAAHHHHHH NOOOOOOOOOOO 😱😭 (i do apologize for the somewhat cliffhanger... /)_(\\...)
> 
> BUT JUSTICE HAS BEEN SERVED!!! JAEHYUN YOU HAD IT COMING!!!! and SVT being once again part of the junnie protection squad ( •̀ᄇ• ́)ﻭ✧ Big brother hao!!!!!
> 
> but wonuuuuuu!!!! 😱😭 (sorry, i'm still a bit loopy lol). just to make things clear, his punishment was supposed to be him taking his own life, since no one can actually kill him, hence why he asked for a sword. but keegan is a sadistic bastard, so ofc he won't let wonu off that easily 😒
> 
> how do we feel about mama jeon now that the truth has been completely revealed?
> 
> next chapter shall be the last one... 😢 but there's still the epilogue after that, so yayayay!!!
> 
> as always, thank you very much for reading!  
> xoxoxo


	30. Pieces of You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jun and Minsoo go to rescue Wonwoo. WonHui = TRUE LOVE™

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys! so this is it! the last chapter before the epilogue! waaaaahhhhh time sure flew by!
> 
> i hope you guys will like it! :D
> 
> WARNING: non-graphic violence, blood (and many slices of cheese)
> 
> -

 

 

After Minsoo finished telling them what happened to Wonwoo, Junhui fell back into the nearest chair. He shook all over, and he had to fist his fingers over his knees just to contain the trembles. Waves of ice crashed onto his body; his brain refused to comprehend the words spoken. 

Apparently, Minsoo had followed them as they escorted Wonwoo from the town center into the jail cells, at which point, she hid. She listened and waited until Wonwoo she could be certain that he’d get a reprieve from those monsters for the time being. Only then did she run to find Junhui. The look of sheer terror and restlessness in her eyes mirrored his, he was positive.

“I have… I have to go. I need to help him.” Still in a daze, he could hardly recognize his own voice as he scrambled to his feet. “He needs me.”

“Honey,” Hyejin’s voice whispered behind him, then her hand gently, but firmly, grabbed his upper arm. She couldn’t bring herself to forbid him from going; she cared about Wonwoo, too. But Junhui was her son. She couldn’t lose him.

Junhui understood, but he couldn’t stay. Not when Wonwoo’s life was hanging in the balance. Shaking his head out of the dark thoughts, he regained his mental capacity. “Mom.” He turned to face her, wincing at the pained expression marring her features. “I can’t… If I don’t try, he’s going to die. I can’t—” Taking a breath, he added with a faint smile. “I’ve always known what I’d gotten myself into,” he called back to their conversation that one day. “Maybe taking risks for the people we care about runs in the family,” he tried to laugh, but it hardly sounded convincing.

Breathing in a shuddering breath, Hyejin nodded, reciprocating the tiny smile. “Yes, I suppose so.”

“Do you even have a plan?” Minghao cut in, arms crossed and brows knitted together. “Showing up armed with nothing but good intentions and positive thoughts isn’t going to cut it. From what we just heard, they’re waiting for you. If you’re not careful, you’ll just play into their hands like he did.”

“We need to strategize, Jun,” Mingyu added.

Minghao turned to the still frazzled Minsoo. “How much time do we have?”

She bit her lower lip. “A couple hours, at most. Jiyeong’s vow to Wonwoo gives us a little bit of a break.”

“Nyosha,” Junhui said suddenly. “She’s the only person who can help us at this point.”

“Who?” Mingyu looked from one brother to the other.

“The witch in the woods.”

Minghao didn’t seem to think it was such a good idea. “Can she actually do it?”

He nodded. “I don’t know how to explain it, but I need to go see her.” The feeling came out of nowhere, and normally, he would take a few minutes to ponder why, but not today. Something was pushing him, tugging at him to leave and meet with her.

“We’re driving you there,” Minghao asserted, and Mingyu pulled out his keys, ready to march to the front door.

But Minsoo barred their paths, shaking her head.

“Wait, you and Mrs. Wen need to stay here to make it look like nothing’s changed. Even though Jiyeong’s been tasked with bringing Junhui back to Keegan, it wouldn’t surprise me if he ordered a few of his men to sniff around and monitor the process.”

Minghao sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

In comfort, Mingyu patted his shoulder, then handed Junhui his keys. “Be careful, Jun,” he said and embraced him, cupping the back of his head.

Nodding, Junhui hugged him back. “Take care of Hao,” he whispered. The arms around him tightened a fraction, before Mingyu pulled away and shared a small smile with him. “Thank you.”

He hugged his mother next, and she kissed his forehead, biting back on the worry and fear. “Stay safe. Bring him home with you. I love you, Junnie.”

“I love you, too, Mom.”

While the family said their goodbyes, Minsoo had been monitoring the back door, ensuring that no one was watching the house. When Junhui jogged up to her and put on his shoes, she gave him a thumbs up. They slipped out and ran to Mingyu’s car.

He drove as steadily as he could, seeing Minsoo from the corner of his eye watching over their shoulders every so often. As they got further and further away from the house, Junhui felt the strange sensation again. It was as if someone was calling his name, guiding him toward them. He didn’t question it. Thanks to whatever magical force it was, he managed to find his way through the woods and into the tiny roads that led to the witch’s hut. The surrounding looked familiar, and Junhui grew a little more confident. It didn’t help quiet his turbulent thoughts, though.

After a few minutes enduring the anxiety quietly, Junhui asked Minsoo, “Before you got to our house, Jiyeong sent someone to give me a message. She wants me to stay away so that I wouldn’t get captured, too. And I know she’s stalling for time, but… What would happen if Jiyeong returned to the Clan without me before we had the chance to break Wonwoo out?” The answer scared him, but he had to know.

Minsoo swallowed. “I can only imagine Keegan’s reaction, but Jiyeong... Jiyeong would rather see her son being destroyed by her own hands than letting him go through the torture that Keegan has planned for him.”

The car almost veered off the road. “What!”

“She doesn’t have the means to free and protect him from the Elders, so she’s going to give him a quick and painless death. There is no doubt that the moment she returns to the village without you, Keegan will send someone else to finish the job. In order to keep her promise to Wonwoo about ensuring your safety, and save him from Keegan’s wrath, she’ll kill him herself.”

Junhui couldn’t breathe. He had to force himself to suck in air and release it.

“My guess is that while they all think she’s out searching for you, she’s actually gone to find a way to bypass the Crystal’s protective power.”

Not replying, Junhui just pushed on the pedal, daring to let the car fly down the asphalt. Finally, by the edge of the trees bordering the little hut, he parked the car then set off running through the dense forest. There was no time to lose. Junhui let instincts take over once more, taking him to the one person capable of helping them.

Panting, they stopped in front of a handful of goblins and imps halfway in. Some of them Junhui recognized from the first time he visited the witch’s hut. They gestured for the guests to follow them.

“We’re here to escort you in,” the one with the green hat said, whom Junhui assumed to be their leader.

“Nyosha knew we were coming?” Junhui asked, watching them move into position. They formed a small circle aroundMinsoo and Junhui, then joined hands

The leader nodded.

The next thing he knew, the ground where each of their small feet stood on began to glow. The contrast between the late afternoon sunlight piercing through the leaves, and the bright white glow almost felt blinding. So much that Junhui ended up shutting his eyes tightly against the intensifying brightness.

“Go on in now.”

At the leader’s voice, Junhui hesitantly opened his eyes. They were standing outside of Nyosha’s sinking and sagging house. The yard looked just as messy and full of miscellaneous items as he remembered it.

“Thank you,” he bowed briefly to them, then he and Minsoo walked inside the open door.

Similarly to the front yard, the interior had not changed very much from his initial visit. Except that now, instead of herbs and roots covering the table, a large tapestry had center stage. Nyosha’s expression was somber as she gestured for her guests to come closer. “We don’t have much time, but I need to show you something. Please take a seat.”

He and Minsoo did so, too distracted to ask her how she knew they would come in the first place. That, in hindsight, didn’t matter as much as what she was about to tell them.

“This tapestry,” she began, glancing at it, “represents the fates of the people in the region.”

Unsure what she meant, Junhui studied it more closely. It was a heavy brocade, with delicate stitches, creating a vast night sky over the hills and mountains. The dark sky made up the majority of the design with its bright and sparkling stars. For a moment, his eyes seemed to deceive him. The more he examined the shining points, the more they appeared to be flickering like little white flames. At first, he thought it was merely due to the light and the thread catching it, reflecting it back. He blinked and rubbed his eyes, but it didn’t work.

“You mean it’s actually...” he began, unable to put into words his thoughts. These glowing points were sentient.

She nodded. “Look closely and you’ll see some shining brighter than others,” she told him.

And they did. One of the dimmer stars he was staring at suddenly vanished, leaving behind nothing but an empty space on the canvas. His eyes snapped up. _Did someone just pass away?_ The old witch nodded again.

As he continued to scan the tapestry, some of them gave him the impression that they were traveling; some closer, others away. The concept that this person could hold in her hands such an artifact that could tell her exactly who was dying, how many children were born, and where each one of their lives was heading blew his mind. Suddenly, another curious detail caught his attention.

“They all seem to be moving in random manners,” Junhui noted, “but why do these points move like they’re connected?” He pointed two stars on the upper right, slowly moving in a straight line. The one behind matched every pace the first one made, in any direction.

She smiled sadly. “Those people are heading for the same fate,” she explained. “Whether it’s good or bad, I can’t say, but they will eventually come together and form one single star.” With a small sigh, she added, “That’s your star and Wonwoo’s.”

Jaw hanging open, Junhui stared at her.

“What do you mean?” Next to him, Minsoo had been very quietly observing everything until now.

“Until a couple months ago, those stars behaved quite differently,” Nyosha said. “But proceeding Wonwoo’s move into his great-grandparents’ house, the stars changed course—and so did a few others. The night Wonwoo came to see me about Taeseung, I told him that his actions could influence the future of more than one life, and now so do yours,” she looked at Junhui.

“Me? My actions?”

“You might have been able to show him the light through the darkness, but the two of you have the potential to set free the Alcaeusian people from the current tyrannical leaders.” She glanced at Minsoo. “Minsoo can attest to what I have to say on the matter. Since Taeseung’s death, the people came to fear—not respect—their leaders. Bloodshed and oppression poisoned the land and the inhabitants. Death begets death. You need to help Wonwoo stop the cycle.”

“I...” _What can I possibly do?_

Hardly could he even come up with a solution to get Wonwoo out alive, now this woman was telling him he had to do whatever it took to break a legacy of violence and cruelty set forth more than a century ago.

“I don’t know...” he stammered, unable to form complete thoughts, much less sentences. “Why us?” Apparently, he could muster two words in succession.

“The most powerful of all magic is true love,” she said plainly, and Junhui startled. Noticing, she leaned over the table, lowering her voice. “You do love him, don’t you?”

His heart hammered against his ribcage, but he couldn’t open his mouth to speak as he stared at her with round eyes. Was two and a half months enough to fall in love? _Really_ fall in love with someone? Would he really be willing to run into the wolf’s den for Wonwoo’s sake if he didn’t?

“You don’t have to give me an answer, just as long as you know,” the witch said. Nervously, Minsoo looked at him, seemingly imploring him to know what he was doing. Neither one of them could understand how much Junhui wished he did, too.

“Here, take this with you. It will help you accomplish the tasks.” She handed him a small flask containing a purply blue liquid inside. “Once you and Wonwoo drink it, it will project the Crystal’s powers out.” As she explained all that had to be done, his fingers curled and uncurled around the neck of the bottle, the gears in his head spinning, wondering how in the world he would be able to get it done.

“Thank you,” he said hesitantly, still staring at the liquid swirling in the glass.

Concluding the instructions, she cautioned him, “After the potion takes effect, your hearts will be vulnerable to everything around you. As long as your intentions are pure and your feelings for each other are genuine, the Crystals will protect you. But be warned.” She clasped his hands and leveled him with a heavy look. “If even for a moment, either one of you has doubts, the spell will be broken, and the darkness will claim you.”

As they thanked her and left the hut, her voice kept replaying in his head. _If you have any hesitation concerning yours or Wonwoo’s feelings proceed no further. The two of you must be willing to unconditionally trust and devote your life to each other. A flame can chase the shadows away, but a small breeze is enough to extinguish that light and plunge everything in the dark._

Climbing into the car, Junhui asked Minsoo directions to the Alcaeus village.

By the time they arrived, night began to fall. Minsoo guided him toward a spot off-road where no one would notice the car, and he cut the engine. Then they made the quarter mile on foot, watching each other’s back against surprises. Not that Junhui could see much. Just as Wonwoo had predicted, the new moon made it near impossible for anything or anyone to be seen. Thankfully for them, Minsoo could see in the dark quite well, and they made it to the village without incident.

From his point of view, the village didn’t look all that different from human-built communities from back in the day. Junhui wasn’t sure what he was expecting. Maybe dead corpses hanging on poles to ward off intruders, or giant pits filled with poison where people drowned in. He was glad to see none of that. If some lost traveler were to come across this place, they wouldn’t think twice, most likely believing it to be some closed-off village.

He and Minsoo stayed hidden behind the edge of the trees, observing the villagers moving about their evening activities. Most of them wore dark colored robes. The few who donned modern clothing were probably ones who infiltrated the human world. Spies. Minsoo kept them far enough away that Junhui’s human scent wouldn’t be picked up, so he couldn’t see much else. He kept his eyes peeled for Keegan, though, but the evil man was nowhere in sight. Before proceeding in deeper, Minsoo looked around the shrubs around them, then plucked a few branches. She sprinkled their pollen all over Junhui, then took a small sniff.

“That should do it.”

Minsoo took the lead from that point forward, and he was glad that at least one of them knew what they were doing. Except for the potion and some instructions on how to use it, Junhui had nothing. Minghao would probably kill him if he knew.

“We might have beaten Jiyeong time-wise,” Minsoo told him as she looked around the corner. “Nothing’s—Oh, no.”

“What is it?” He moved up and leaned over the wall.

“Complications,” Minsoo noted as Junhui gasped upon seeing Keegan and four other men walk out of a building across the street. None of them carried even a hint of joy. Not that Junhui paid their expressions of doom much attention. Not when he saw twisted black horns and blood-red claws. He shuddered, hoping the color wasn’t actually from someone’s blood. He tore his gaze away, watching their faces again. Just like in Wonwoo demon form, their irises swallowed the entirety of the white part of their eyes. Nothing but silvery discs throwing back the light, empty of any emotions. Junhui would have spent more time studying their terrifying builds and twisted teeth, if not for the appearance of a dark haired woman walking among them.

He squinted, trying to see better in the glow of torches and oil lamps.

Her hands were tied in front of her, and a metal cuff was clamped on her upper arm. Something like an insignia made it glow. Despite the obvious fact that she was a prisoner, she held her head high and her shoulders back. With a start, he recognized her.

Jeon Jiyeong.

Minsoo and Junhui shared a look. “They must have found out what she planned,” Junhui guessed. “Are they taking her to the prison cells?”

Squeezing her eyes shut for a moment, Minsoo shook her head and remained silent for a beat. Then she said, “To the town center. They’re going to serve her as the appetizer before Wonwoo.”

Eyes wide, Junhui stared at her. “You’re not suggesting they’re going to kill one of their own.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time,” Minsoo commented darkly, which reminded him of what Nyosha had said, that Minsoo could attest for all the cruelty. Did Minsoo experience it firsthand? Perhaps she witnessed it. Whatever it was, Junhui kept his mouth shut, unwilling to bring it up and make her uncomfortable.

While his head wandered, she turned to him. “Hey, Junhui? Despite what Nyosha said, don’t worry about us.” Junhui blinked, not understanding. “Either we’ve been born into such a society, or we grew up in it. No matter how hard it is to watch and endure, we’ve gotten used to it. The most important thing right now is getting Wonwoo out and keep you both alive. It’s not fair to ask of you something so significant when you hardly even know us.”

Junhui frowned. He might have no idea what he was doing, but that didn’t mean that he’d just leave these people and run away. “Let’s just take it one step at a time,” he told her as an answer. “First Wonwoo, then we’ll go from there.”

She nodded and led him through the back alleys. As they moved, so did the villagers. Unlike Minsoo and Junhui, though, the masses were called to gather in the town center, at the village square. Seemingly sensing the impending trial and sentence, each and every one of them rallied themselves with fervor, cheering as they assembled. Again, the old witch was right. Not only did the land and river suffer from the reign of terror, so did the people. They’d grown as bloodthirsty as their leaders. No wonder Wonwoo had had such a difficult time finding balance. It was a miracle he found a way out. Crystal or no Crystal, he wasn’t like them.

The jail cells were on the other side of the village. In order to get there, the pair had to pass by the gathered the masses in front of the platform. He and Minsoo stayed hidden thanks to the numbers of people and their chatter. They managed to hug the walls of the houses until they reached the buildings on the right of the stage. There, they had to stop momentarily. Since the crowd only congregated in the front, they’d be seen right away by the guards.

Up on the platform, Keegan was finishing his speech about loyalty and the importance of upholding the law, how the rules applied to everyone regardless of their statuses. Jiyeong said nothing in her defense. Her eyes looked straight ahead above the heads of her people, while Keegan continued to degrade her and her actions, bringing out Wonwoo’s “crimes” against the Clan, as well.

“Let us remember this act of treason,” he exclaimed, voice booming. “No one escapes justice: male, female, child, or adult. It has been eighteen years since the last major offense. Naively, I had hoped that it was due to obedience, and that my citizens kept in mind the day Lee Mina and Lee Minsung were punished for their crimes.”

With a start, Junhui spun around to look atMinsoo. “Were they...?”

Nodding and biting back the lump in her throat, she confirmed it. “Yes, my mother and aunt.” Her words felt like an ice bucket over his head.

“I’m so sorry.”

Just when Junhui thought it couldn’t get worse, the audience broke into applause, leading Minsoo and him to glance up. At some point, the guards had assembled a giant pile of wood around a pillar. His heart stopped beating for a second as the realization hit him. They were going to burn her alive.

“As history has taught us,” Keegan said. “Treachery is the worst of crimes. Get her over there and tie her up.” That order received a loud cheer from the masses. Through the whole preparation, Jiyeong didn’t speak a word. Junhui had to wonder what went through her mind as she was being tied to the mast by the men she had apparently trusted.

Finally, the moment came, and the torch was brought over. Junhui couldn’t look at the massacre. As the flame hit the wood and quickly ascended toward her feet, he tore his eyes away from the scene, clasping his hands over his ears. Her piercing screams were soon drowned out by the uproar from the crowd. At that point, Junhui couldn’t tell if what their reaction meant satisfaction or horror at the scene.

He and Minsoo took advantage of the momentary chaos and slipped away. At the gates of the prisons, she told him how to get to Wonwoo’s cell. She volunteered to stand watch. Not losing a second, Junhui sprinted down the dimly lit tunnels.

Even when Junhui wanted to shout out for him to make it easier, he refrained himself. There was no way of knowing if Wonwoo were down here alone. Better be safe than sorry. After what felt like ages through the maze, Junhui got to the last level. The floor sounded eerily silent. Only the breeze blowing through the holes and cracks howled lightly and made him shiver. On the way, he saw two sets of keys, and he grabbed both, holding them tightly so they wouldn’t cling against each other.

When he finally spotted Wonwoo in the cell, his heart fluttered so much Junhui was afraid he might go into cardiac arrest if it didn’t calm down soon. Wonwoo didn’t see him nor sense his presence (if Junhui had been in better mental condition, he would have found it odd).

Wonwoo was sitting in the very back, staring at the ceiling, his head leaning back against the wall. Junhui was glad to see that apart from a few scratches and bruises, he was in one piece with no significant wound. After checking all around him once more and seeing not a shadow, Junhui took the last yards separating them at a sprint.

Wonwoo looked over at the noise, and for a second, he didn’t react, eyes dull. “Junnie?”

“I’m right here,” Junhui said, reaching the bars. “We’re gonna get you out of here.” His hands were shaking, but he tried his best to insert one key after another until one of them fit.

Wonwoo lunged to his feet, arms passing through the gaps of the bar to grab at the younger’s shoulders and arms, as though to make sure he were real and not a cruel hallucination. “How did you get here?” He cupped the boy’s cheek. Then his eyes hardened, brows furrowed. “Did my mother—”

“No,” Junhui said quickly, shaking his head. “She—She tried to keep me away in order to save me.” Even as he tried to keep his voice stable, he couldn’t block out the eery sounds of her screams along with the loud crackling of burning wood. “Minsoo came to fetch me.” The right key clicked, and he pushed the door away.

Wonwoo surged forward to bring him in, pressing him so hard against his chest, Junhui could hardly breathe, but he didn’t care. Wonwoo was here, and he was alive. Junhui clung to him with all the strength he had, letting his brain rejoice at the sensation of Wonwoo all around him. That joy soon faded, though, when logic and reason made their way to the front part of his brain again. Something cold and metallic bit onto his skin, and Junhui lifted his head to see with horror the same cuff Jiyeong was wearing around Wonwoo’s arm.

“What is this?” he asked, pointing at it.

Clicking his tongue, Wonwoo glared at the offending article. “It blocks out our powers. They use it on prisoners to keep them manageable. Let see those keys.”

Junhui handed them over for him to quickly sort through them. Arriving at one with a similar design as the insignia, he inserted the key into the lock. With a clank, the cuff opened and landed on the stone floor.

Absentmindedly looking at it, Junhui said, “Your mother wore one just like it.”

“What?”

He knew he’d have to tell him. Wonwoo deserved to know, but it was so difficult. Squeezing his eyes shut, Junhui began, “Wonwoo, your mother… I’m so sorry, but they… They found out about her plan, and…” He couldn’t say it. It was too cruel.

Wonwoo remained composed as he asked, “They killed her?” Although it was a question, there was a suggestion that he already knew they would. Junhui nodded. Again, Wonwoo pulled him in, as if consoling _him_. “She paid her dues.” Grabbing his hand, Wonwoo headed for the hall. “Let’s find Minsoo and get out of here.”

“Wait!” pulling him to a stop, Junhui looked at him right in the eyes. “Do you love me?”

Clearly, this was not what he expected the younger to say at a time like this.His eyes widened, then he blinked rapidly. “Jun, this is not—”

Junhui won’t lie and say it didn’t sting a little when Wonwoo side-stepped the question instead of giving him an answer. He shoved that thought away, squaring his shoulders. “Please, just answer me. Don’t think about the future or the past. Please, just tell me. At this very moment, do you love me?”

Wonwoo sensed immediately that this wasn’t just a question Junhui asked because he was afraid of dying once they crossed the gates. He cupped the boy’s face and looked straight into his eyes. “No matter the time or place, Wen Junhui: I do, more than my own life. Love and devotion are the only things I can afford to offer you.” 

Junhui’s throat tightened, and he blinked away the prickling behind his eyes, nodding. “Then we’re gonna be okay,” he whispered. Pulling the little flask out of his pocket, he explained what it was and why it was so important that Wonwoo answered him. “As long as you’re holding pieces of my heart, and I’m holding pieces of yours.”

Wonwoo smiled, agreeing with a nod. “We’ll come out all right.”

They ran up the stairs and through the long corridors, escaping the maze of dark cells. At any moment, Junhui expected either Minsoo to come find them or to have heard some sort of commotion by now. But everything was still dead silent, and the longer the couple ran, the more worried he became.

At the gates, Wonwoo halted abruptly, extending his arm out to block Junhui from moving any further. Peeking over his arm, Junhui gasped. No wonder it had been so quiet.

The small courtyard was filled with armed guards, and standing in front of them, Keegan and the rest of the Elders waited for the escaping prisoner. To make matters worse, the tall and lanky man Junhui guessed to be Sanghun had Minsoo by the throat, his claws digging into her flesh, causing her to wince. One wrong move from the couple, and her life would be over.

“It seems like we didn’t need your mother to bother,” Keegan addressed Wonwoo with a bright smile. “Since all we really needed was to send Minsoo to escort Junhui to us.” He grinned, while Minsoo whimpered.

For all intents and purposes, Minsoo was completely helpless. Sanghun was twice her size, completely overpowering her. Yet something about her caused Junhui to linger his stare. While one of her hands attempted to loosen Sanghun’s grip on her throat, the other was tucked by her side, twirling in an odd pattern. No one was paying attention to her, and her arms were free of that metal cuff. Wonwoo had explained previously that although she possessed gifts, they were always considered weak and useless. Could she be using that to her advantage now? A tiny spark of hope flashed in his tummy. Better not let them catch him looking at her.

As Junhui’s gaze shifted from her to Keegan as the latter talked, Junhui’s entire body felt on edge, like it knew something big was about to occur.

“I’m sorry you were unable to see her before she had to depart this world,” Keegan continued in fake compassion, but Wonwoo’s face stayed blank.

“She loved you,” Wonwoo replied evenly, which surprised both Keegan and Junhui. In Keegan’s case, it was more of a disbelief look at the fact that Wonwoo knew about it. As for Junhui, it was sheer shock. “How could you do that to her?”

“The law applies to everyone,” he explained self-righteously, knowing the rest of the villagers were listening. “I cannot overlook her crime merely because of our personal history.”

Wonwoo scoffed, shaking his head. “How long are you going to continue believing that lie? Do you really think that you all are carrying out justice?”

All of their faces hardened, and that affected the grip on Minsoo’s throat. She squeaked, but her hand continued to move out of sight. Wonwoo glanced at her briefly. Taking advantage of that short second of distraction, they lunged for Wonwoo.

A small explosion erupted in the area between them. Everyone jumped back, growls and snarls cutting through the commotion of the explosion. “I don’t have to remind you that outside of that jail cell, I have full control of my powers.”

It became a standoff between the six of them. As far as Junhui knew, each one of them had a deadly power. If one were to fire first, chaos would ensue. Were it not for them still holding Minsoo as hostage, Wonwoo would have most likely destroyed the entire courtyard and buried them under a pile of rubble.

“Don’t make it more difficult than it has to be, Wonwoo,” the burly one said. “We have you surrounded.”

“Have you ever known me to take the easy way out, Arawn?”

“You can’t stay here forever,” the same man commented.

“I don’t need forever.”

Just when Junhui was about to wonder why Wonwoo was giving in into small talk, he realized the reason. Wonwoo was buying time. The twirling from Minsoo’s hand had been to call on the vines and branches from all around them. Those vines were now inconspicuously encircling the feet of the Elders and their guards.

Wonwoo grabbed Junhui’s hand and shared a look with Minsoo. She fisted her hand. All at once, guards and Elders toppled like dominos. Outraged screams boomed as bodies collided against each other and onto the ground.

He couldn’t see the rest. Wonwoo already yanked him away, running at impossible speeds.In the midst of the chaos, Minsoo shoved herself away from Sanghun and ran behind Wonwoo and him. Actually, Junhui felt like Wonwoo was pulling him along without his feet making much contact with the ground.

Evidently, as effective of a surprise attack as the vines were, they weren’t enough to keep the Elders down. In less time than Junhui had hoped, they tore through their constraints.

A burst of lightning struck the ground right in front of their small group, sending them flying in the air. Junhui landed with a thud, bones crackling and air punched out of his lungs. He coughed, rolling himself upright, and looked around for the others.

A few feet away, Wonwoo got back on his feet and sent a hit toward the guards coming at them. The paved roads exploded, and the individual stones flew sharply most of them. That took care of the rear, but that hardly helped with the troops coming from the front and the sides.

“Get to the river!” Wonwoo shouted at him.

Junhui pulled his legs under him, feeling his sides protesting, but he pushed on. As he ran, the troops set off toward him. Every time he dodged one guard, another soldier came at him. Wonwoo’s bursts of powers and Minsoo’s vines helped get them off Junhui’s back, but it felt like an ant invasion. No matter how many you got rid of, there would still be more coming. On top of that, villagers were running amok in the streets, panic-stricken. Not that the Elders nor the troops avoided their own people. The casualty mounted at a frightening rate.

Around the corner, Junhui found a safe place to stop and catch his breath. Hiding him were a few barrels used to catch rain water. Peeking behind them, he looked for Wonwoo and Minsoo. She had unleashed a forest’s worth of vines and branches, and the guards who were caught didn’t look like they could get out any time soon. Even out here the scene seemed to come right out of a movie. Plants took on a life on their own, grabbing and hanging anyone other than Minsoo and Wonwoo. Screams of surprise and fear made it almost impossible to think.

The platform where so many people had come to watch Jeon Jiyeong’s execution now laid in a pile of wood and metal. Among the ruble were soldiers and one of the Elders, with either their insides blown up or they were skewered by a branch.

“You arrogant filth!”

Junhui’s eyes snapped to Wonwoo and Sanghun as the latter sent Wonwoo crashing into the ground. Driven by reflex, Junhui ran out from his spot toward them. So many things were going on at the same time, people scampering all over the place, making themselves into obstacles he had to steer clear of. By the time he got close enough, Sanghun kicked Wonwoo in the stomach as he tried to get back on his feet. Hitting the hard ground, he groaned in pain. Sanghun gave him another swift quick to flip him over and peered down at him, his mouth contorting into a vile grin. Immediately, Wonwoo’s seized up, eyes widening to stare up into the night sky. But they were blank and lifeless.

“No!”

Distracted by Junhui’s scream, Sanghun turned around, which broke the connection of his powers over Wonwoo. The latter gasped, bounding up to breathe.

“Tsk.” Sanghun narrowed his eyes as Junhui paled, realizing that now _he_ was the newest target.

He tried to run, but Sanghun caught him too easily by the throat. Despite trying his best, Junhui wasn’t fast enough in shutting his eyes.

His friends and family’s faces flitted before him. One moment they were smiling and laughing with him, in the next, they all laid in a pool of their own blood. He screamed, gasping for air as he ran toward them. ‘You killed them,’ Jaehyun’s mocking voice said. ‘They died because of you. They died protecting you.’

Junhui sobbed, voice cracking as he shook his head and gripped his hair. ‘No no no no! Please, no—I didn’t mean—’

Crashing to his knees, he cradled Wonwoo’s head into his lap and caressed his lifeless face with shaking fingers. ‘I’m sorry! I am so sorry! Wonwon, please don’t leave me. You promised!’ He gathered Wonwoo into his arms, closer to him as he pressed their foreheads together and sobbed.

As though shoved out of a room, Junhui scrambled on his feet and tried to get his bearings. He could still feel the heavy weight on his chest, the rawness in his throat, and the sting in his eyes. The fear still hadn’t disappeared, unlike the visions. He stood in the middle of the village again. The chaos and shouting flooded back and hit him like an ocean wave. He put his arms out to find his balance, only to gasp audibly and jump back.

In front of him was not the vision of the bodies of his loved ones. Instead, Sanghun laid dead in a pool of his own blood with a hole blown through his chest.

“Are you okay?” Wonwoo asked, pulling him away.

A burst of relief and happiness knocked him off balance, and he jumped into Wonwoo’s arms, clinging to his neck for dear life. He couldn’t even speak, thanks to the lump lodged in his throat. All he could manage was a small whimper when Wonwoo wrapped him up and whispered reassurances to him.

“You’re okay, kitten. You’re okay. It wasn’t real. It’s over. You’ll never have to see that again.”

Before Junhui could respond, something crashed behind him, and Wonwoo whipped his head toward the noise. “Fuck. We gotta go. Hold onto me.”

“Eeep!”

Wonwoo lifted him up in a princess carry and _ran_. Junhui had never ridden a motorcycle before, but this was probably as close to the experience as he’d get. He tucked his face into the crook of Wonwoo’s neck and clung to him for fear of falling off. Peeking when Wonwoo slowed down to avoid people and obstacles, Junhui winced.

This time on all sides were very real bodies. _Death begets death_. How true that statement came to be. They were so close to the water, Junhui could hardly imagine it. Just a few more yards, which were covered in corpses. Among those who had fallen, he noticed two more Elders, Arawn and the other one. Which meant—

A high-pitched shriek made them spin around. The last of the Elders had grabbed at Minsoo’s leg, yanking her up like she was just a rag doll. Her head wasn’t more than two feet above the ground, but if he decided to drop her, her neck might snap.

“Don’t do it!” Wonwoo warned. “This has nothing to withMinsoo. Let her go.”

“Hmmm,” Keegan thought about it, examining Minsoo upside down, her life literally in his hand. “Fair enough.” The bastard that he was, he threw her into the pile of bodies to break her fall.

Fortunately, though, she didn’t look hurt beyond skin abrasions. Wonwoo set Junhui down and gave him a hard look to tell him to stay put. He could only nod meekly despite wanting to yank him back. So he stood there, not wanting to do something stupid that might put all their lives in danger. Wonwoo and Keegan approached the middle ground cautiously, evaluating the other’s moves, anticipating them.

“Look at how many lives you killed tonight, Wonwoo,” he shook his head. “To think you could have avoided all of this: how does it feel?”

“I didn’t kill them,” Wonwoo replied. “You did the moment you and the rest of the Elders decided to uphold lies about Taeseung and the Stones.”

At Wonwoo’s accusations, the people who remained around them stopped to listen, albeit wary of the truth. Keegan noticed, and fed on their doubt.

“After everything that you’ve done, you dare accuse us of lying? We have kept this village safe, we’ve done everything capable to serve this community and destroy rebels like you and your bloodline.”

“Wrong!” Wonwoo exclaimed. “The only ones who benefitted were yourselves. Taeseung did not betray his home nor his people. He had devoted his entire life for them, and even when he left to find his own happiness, he had thought of ways to take care of them. The one who betrayed him was your grandfather, Lucien, the first founder of the Elders.”

Chatter and discussions soon broke out among the masses as they glanced from Keegan’s seething figure to Wonwoo’s composure. “How can we trust you?” one of them called out.

“The Stones that we’ve been led to believe were stolen when Taeseung ‘deserted’ the Clan were actually his to begin with,” Wonwoo explained. “He poured out his own powers into those Stones and gave them to Lucien to place on the river bed when times turned for the worst. Instead of following the instructions and relaying the message, Lucien let envy overpower him. _He_ is the one who found Taeseung in Diamond Creek and committed the murders.”

More questions and shocked exclamations erupted. Keegan didn’t make it easy. “Can you prove it?”

Wonwoo’s eyes narrowed. “You sent your men into Taeseung’s library and destroyed it.”

“How _convenient,_ ” he barked a laugh. “Blaming me for your lack of evidence and proof!”

“I didn’t say that I couldn’t prove it,” Wonwoo retorted, which took Keegan aback. “Junhui and I are the proof. If what Keegan says is true, then why hasn’t the river returned to normal yet? They’ve placed the Stone in the water more than twenty-four hours ago. We should’ve seen a difference by now, shouldn’t we?” He glared at Keegan. “The reason it's not working is because the Elders destroyed the land! The powers of the Stones aren't enough to heal it anymore.”

“And you can restore it?” someone shouted.

Wonwoo answered, “Taeseung’s blood and his powers run in my veins, along with the Crystal he and Mikyung created to protect Hwan against the poison of our kind. They anticipated this day. I can show you that Taeseung had the power to maintain the river and this region alive all along. He expected his descendants to continue.”

The people agreed, and Keegan couldn’t do anything at the moment. He was outnumbered, and he couldn’t afford to lose his righteous image. Wonwoo took Junhui’s hand, and led them toward the shores, everyone on their heels. They stopped at the edge, but the couple continued forward. They treaded through the cool water, which only came to about their stomachs now even when they were more than fifty feet away. The fires and the village glistened on the surface of the water.

“Are you sure about this?” Wonwoo asked him. “You’re putting your soul on the line for all of them.” As Nyosha had warned, even a single moment of doubt would be enough to corrupt them.

“I’ve never been more sure of anything,” Junhui replied, implying the motivation behind it all. Having seen the results of this battle, they had to do it. “Besides, they’re your people. Helping them means helping you.”

Smiling slightly, Wonwoo nodded and positioned himself facing directly into the shore in order to keep an eye on Keegan. With his hands steadying Junhui against the current, the latter was free to take out the flask. He examined it one last time, then drank the first half before handing it over to him. It tasted bitter, with a floral and herbal scent. He grimaced, feeling it run down his throat. Wonwoo downed the last drop.

“Now we wait,” Junhui said.

“Now we wait.”

And they waited. Nothing seemed to change. Apart from feeling very warm like after drinking warm rum lemon tea, nothing happened. He and Wonwoo shared a worried look. Did they do something wrong? This was what Nyosha told him.

On shore, the Alcaeusians were getting restless as seen by the shouting and rowdy movements.

“Do you believe me now?” Keegan’s voice carried over by the wind. “He’s been tricking you, stalling for time. Are we just going to stand here like fools? He’s already left us in our most dire time of need for the human boy, then he comes back here to steal from us our last hope. He must pay for his crimes!”

Without warning, he shot a lightning strike into the water. When Junhui turned around, all he saw was a flash of light coming straight for him. At the very last second, he was shoved to the side, tumbling into the water. The strike exploded on the surface.

_No, no, no, no, no, no!_

Because the water was so shallow, he got back on his feet relatively fast.

“Wonwoo!”

He’d fallen back, bobbing against the tide some meters away. Junhui treaded water, pushing his feet against the riverbed, tears prickling his eyes. “Wonwoo! Wake up, don’t do this to me. Please wake up!”

This wasn’t happening. This _could not_ be happening. Not after that nightmarish vision. Real life felt so much worse. His chest felt like it was caving in, his fingers cold as ice as he felt along Wonwoo’s neck for a pulse. But he couldn’t sense anything. Not from the way he was shaking, eyes stinging with new tears.

“Wonwoo! Please…” He held him close, propping him against his chest. “You said it wouldn’t happen…”

Looking onto the shores, he saw Minsoo covering her mouth with her hand as a sob shook her shoulders. Next to her, the Alcaeusians had mixed reactions. Some seemed to find it too hard to watch, others rejoiced. Junhui couldn’t care less what they were thinking. Quickly, Junhui pressed a hand on Wonwoo’s neck again, desperate to find a pulse. But still. Nothing.

Burying his face against Wonwoo’s chest, Junhui sobbed brokenly. It seemed like he’d hardly had any time with him that he was gone, never to smile at him, never to kiss him. Never to call his name and love him any longer.

And it was all Junhui’s fault, just like he had feared. One more person he loved had died because of him.

“I am so sorry, Wonwon…”

Everything was so quiet. The river rushed by in soft waves, seemingly echoing Junhui’s empty heart.

Perhaps it was the reason why he heard it, even though it was so faint.

Heartbeats.

Startled, Junhui pulled away, looking down. Hope was threatening was burst out of him, but he forced himself to calm down as he focused. He felt along Wonwoo’s neck. His eyes widened in shock of this miracle. Now tears of joy were falling even faster than before.

“Wonwoo!”

The older boy groaned, grimacing in pain as he tried to find his footing. “I told you I keep my promises,” he grunted, letting Junhui steady him.

“You scared me half to death!” he accused.

A short laugh escaped his lips as Wonwoo chucked him lightly under his chin. “Weren’t you paying attention when I said that they can’t kill us directly with their powers? Fuck, it hurts like a bitch, though,” he muttered.

Laughing like a lunatic, Junhui couldn’t even bring himself to argue with him. He hugged him tightly. “Thank you.”

Wonwoo relaxed in his hold, stroking his hair. “I guess you really weren’t listening to me, kitten. You’re worth so much more than my own life.”

But Junhui shook his head, snuggling even closer. “Please don’t say that.” He took in a shuddering breath. “Thank you for coming back to me. I love you so much, Wonwon.”

He chuckled, squeezing him around the waist. 

Because Wonwoo now had his back to the village, Junhui was the one who saw Keegan advancing toward them, his expression feral. His attempt to kill Wonwoo had proved to be ineffective, and now he was about to do it with his bare hands.

However, as Wonwoo turned around upon sensing Junhui tense up, something unbelievable happened. A powerful force field radiated out from their bodies and pushed outward. Junhui gripped Wonwoo’s arm to keep them standing. The magical force blew across the water with such an intensity that it actually shoved Keegan back onto the coast. 

The force field didn’t stop there; it blew through the village and its inhabitants, sending most of them back a few feet. It moved through the trees, causing them to bow and sway. It felt like a small earthquake, but with none of the damages.

While everyone, including the couple, stared into the night in the wake of that rush of energy, the water began to rise.

“Whoa!” Junhui lost his footing, getting swept up by the stronger current. It didn’t take long for the level to go well beyond their height, forcing them to tread water just to keep afloat.

“Can you swim back?” Wonwoo asked.

“I can manage.” Junhui wasn’t much of a swimmer, but he could keep his head above the surface and move forward.

When they returned on land, Minsoo rushed over and hugged Wonwoo to her, the relief obvious on her face. He returned the gesture. “I’m okay,” he told her.

Smiling, she nodded and turned to Junhui. “Thank you, Junhui. Thank you. We’re all grateful for everything you’ve done.”

Now that Junhui was paying attention, their audience had gathered closer, most of them carrying a shameful expression. “We’re really sorry we doubted you, Wonwoo,” a man said. “Thank you for not giving up on us. Goodness knows we don’t deserve it.”

Wonwoo smiled, shaking his head. “We all deserved to know the truth. Only then can we make the right decisions.”

A moment of silence came upon them as tonight’s damages fully registered. As they stood there gazing at the destroyed village, a groan caught their ears. It was Keegan, barely regaining consciousness. The guards that had obeyed his orders mere hours ago now ceased him roughly.

“What are we going to do with him, sir?” they asked, addressing the rightful heir of the Clan.

“You’re going to let go of me,” Keegan hissed. His eyes flew out with the intent to kill the two guards with his deadly power. But nothing happened when his hands made contact.

Junhui glanced over to Wonwoo, eyes round. “The spell! It must have taken his powers away.”

“Yeah,” he agreed with a nod. “It evens out the fields a little.”

For the first time since Junhui had seen him, Keegan looked afraid. The coward. He implored Wonwoo with his eyes, begging the latter to show mercy. Wonwoo didn’t respond.

“He should burn!” someone said, followed by agreements. “He’s the traitor! As he said so himself when he executed Jiyeong: treachery is the worst crime, so it deserves the worst punishment!”

“Let’s not do it all at once,” another suggested. “He needs to burn for all the lies he’s told and all the damages he’s done.”

They were all in agreement, getting rowdy once more. Some were already tying Keegan up and pushing him back into the village, while some gathered pieces of wood for the pyre.

“You filthy peasants will pay for your actions!” he shouted, doing his best to struggle in his constraints.

One of the guards backhanded him to shut him up.

“What can you do once you’re charred inside out?” a man asked sarcastically. “Your bitter soul will have to carry with it the burden of all those lives you’ve taken. What’s the matter? You’ve never been deterred by an ounce of conscience before when you took advantage of us. No matter what, you’ll never be able to wash away the blood on your hands!”

“Do you believe yours are cleaner than mine?” Keegan retorted, not struggling anymore, blood running down his nose, and he spit out another mouthful. “I might have distorted the truth and acted on my own brand of justice, but I take full responsibility. What about you? Were you not always on my side? Whatever punishment you think I deserve, you shouldn’t get any less. Do you really think that Jeon managed to save you from your own black souls? That it was some kind of redemption?” He laughed bitterly.

That accusation didn’t sit well with everybody. The guards shoved him to the ground, as if to feed the wolves. The villagers started to go at Keegan, throwing punches and kicks in such a way to prove to themselves that they were nothing like him.

“Wonwoo,” Junhui called softly but desperately, unsure what he was thinking. His face was composed, hiding any hint of his thoughts on the situation. “Is this… is this really okay?”

“That’s enough,” Wonwoo called out, putting and end to the ruckus. He walked forward, and the crowd parted for him. Keegan laid on the ground, bruised up and bleeding, but his determination was far from deterred. He glared up at Wonwoo, a snarl deep in his throat.

“There’s been enough deaths,” Wonwoo said, staring down at him. “It’s time for us to stop resolving crimes by taking away lives. The more we resort to violence, the more savage and cruel as a people we become. If we learn nothing more from the Elders legacy, let it be that.” The silence all around was taken as an acquiescence. “Keegan is right on one point: just because the Order of the Elders exists no longer due to their deception and the consequences that followed, it does not expunge our individual actions nor does it absolve them. _We_ will have to do that on our own. We need to clean the land from all the blood that’s seeped into it every since Taeseung left.”

He took a step forward and pulled Keegan to his feet. The latter fought against him, but due to the rope restraining him, Keegan couldn’t go very far. Wonwoo looked straight into his enemy’s face. “Starting by showing mercy. Death would be too easy; he needs to live and face what he has done. He needs to work to undo all the harm he’s caused.”

“Don’t think you’ve won just yet, Wonwoo,” Keegan remarked as they led him away. “One day, you’ll regret not killing me while you still could.”

“Do you regret not killing me sooner?” Wonwoo countered, and his opposition’s eyes narrowed into slits. “Take him away.”

The group of five or six men escorted Keegan away as the rest of them stood back and watched.

 

Sitting on the side of the hill, Junhui looked down at the village and the tiny people moving about. It must be only a couple hours to dawn now, and the cleanup went along splendidly. Of course, it helped that all of them had the equivalent strength of five humans. The fires had been put out, the bodies carried away to be later buried, and the wreck mostly all cleared away. At some point, he had managed to find Mingyu’s car and his phone inside, in order to call home and let them know that he and Wonwoo were all right.

Even now, he could hardly believe that they did come out okay. The more he thought about it, the more everything sounded like a self-fulfilling prophecy. Nyosha claimed that he and Wonwoo shared the same fate; whatever it was, she couldn’t tell. Hearing that, Junhui went to save him, favoring the prediction. If he hadn’t known about it and hadn’t gone, that part wouldn’t have been fulfilled.

Then she said that the spell would only work if their intentions and feelings were pure, that they would have to put their lives on the line for the other. They both did, but only out of the circumstances of the situation. It was because of the potion’s promise of salvation that Junhui risked his life coming willingly into the village, and it was because of the same potion that resulted in them standing in the river, vulnerable to Keegan’s power, which caused Wonwoo to push Junhui out of the way, satisfying that aspect of the prediction.

Finally, it was supposed to break the cycle of death and revenge set into motion by the first committee of Elders. That only happened through the deaths of Arawn, Sanghun, Howan, and Iseul, in addition to capturing Keegan. Furthermore, it was knowing about the spell that gave Wonwoo the evidence to convince the Alcaeusians of the truth.

In the end, the fact that Wonwoo and Junhui thought they knew what needed to happen, turned out to be the very reason everything was fulfilled. In fact, if it hadn’t been for Nyosha telling Junhui the conclusion to the tale, it probably wouldn’t have occurred. This whole revolution occurred on the basis of the boys’ expectations and how they influenced their judgements and actions. It was the end result that ultimately set the chain of events rolling, rendering the prediction true.

_That was going to take a while to sink in_.

Self-fulfilling prophecy or not, tonight's events once again opened Junhui’s eyes to the power of true love. Taeseung’s powers kept the land alive, but after so many years consumed by the Elders’ toxic reign, there needed more to cure the land and the people. They needed the purity of Wonwoo’s and Junhui’s hearts and the goodness embedded in the Crystals by Taeseung and Mikyung’s sacrifice and devotion.

In the end, the one wish Wonwoo wanted most required him to embrace both sides of himself, the good and the bad. And in the end, he finally came to understand Taeseung.

Soft footsteps approached behind him, and Junhui looked over his shoulder to see Wonwoo. He took a seat next to the boy and stared out in front of them for a second.

“I haven’t had the chance to thank you,” Wonwoo said, taking Junhui’s hand into his. “If it weren’t for you wandering in the dark that night outside of the Jeon House, none of this would have happened.”

Chuckling, Junhui nodded. “Maybe, but sooner or later, though, your frozen heart would’ve melted.”

“You think so, huh?” he grinned. “I’m still going to blame it all on you.”

Junhui grinned.

Wonwoo’s thumb rubbed gently the back of Junhui’s hand, going over the small cuts and crystallized blood. His body was covered in similar gashes, most of them much worse than the younger’s. None of them were too heavy, thankfully.

“For once, I’m glad our blood clots so fast,” Wonwoo commented. “If it didn’t sting as much when it does would have been nice, but beggars can’t be choosers.”

Smiling, Junhui agreed. “We were lucky we didn’t lose an arm or leg. Crystallization wouldn’t have helped then.”

“True,” he considered. “I’m thinking about growing lemon and lime trees in the yard.” Leaning back, he smirked, “In case you trip over a stove or something again.”

Junhui rolled his eyes, but he couldn’t help laughing. “I’m not the one who got thrown into a table and ended up pulling a stake out of my side.”

He made a face. “Let’s not think about that anymore.” Junhui couldn’t agree more.

Wrapping his arm around Junhui’s shoulders, he leaned let the boy lean against his side. Together, the couple gazed up at the dark sky filled with shining stars. Away from the bright lights in the village, it was like looking up at a sea of millions of diamonds. It reminded Junhui of that brocade at Nyosha’s hut.

After a moment of complete stillness, Junhui asked softly, “Remember how we couldn’t identify that yearning and fluttering feeling?”

“You mean the one tethering us right now?” he wondered, amused. “What about it?”

“I think I finally figured it out,” Junhui said. Raising his head slightly, Junhui stared into his eyes. “It’s when pieces of you and mine come together. Being with the person who makes you complete and whole ought to create interesting results. You know, when things are the way they’re supposed to be.”

Grinning, Wonwoo rested his forehead on his. “I’ve long ago abandoned the quest to figure out its singularity. As long as I can feel it every single moment of my life and know that you feel it, too, that’s all that matters to me.”

With a giggle, Junhui nodded and lifted his face for Wonwoo to kiss.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO MUCH HAPPENED!!! which i guess makes sense considering it's the end lol.
> 
> were you guys satisfied with how it went? i know it's not nice to cheer when ppl die but HECK YEAH THE ELDERS ARE FINALLY GONE!!!! ( •̀ᄇ• ́)ﻭ✧ keegan is now gonna rot in jail, and then brought out to do manual labor, and then put back behind bars. and don't be afraid of that threat he made at the very end. his powers are *poof* and everyone hates him. he's not gonna be able to do anything to our heroes :D
> 
> TRUE LOVE CONQUERS ALL \\(*0*)/ can you believe wonhui are so powerful they healed the entire land with just their love? (ღˇᴗˇ)｡o the force field of love actually did more than just heal the land where the clan is, but we'll talk about that more in the epilogue.
> 
> just bc we found out what jun's greatest fear is, i'll also divulge wonu's, although it's pretty easy to guess. while jun is afraid of causing his loved ones' deaths (like in the past), wonu is a bit more intense. his revolves around him going full bloodlust mode and killing jun with his own hands ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯
> 
> well that was a somber mood to end on... lol. sorry. BUT WONHUI TRUE LOVE!!!! THEY FINALLY SAID "ILY" ٩(๑> ₃ <)۶♥ TOOK THEM 30 CHAPTERS. A NEW RECORD. not even THOY WonHui took this long. goodness... 
> 
> so yeah! i guess this is it! hahaha. i hope you enjoyed! see you soooon!  
> xoxoxo
> 
>  
> 
> boring ramblings and thank you notes:
> 
> i... am not sure what to say haha. um, maybe bc it hasn't really hit me that POY is basically over 😢 there's still the epilogue, so i'll leave my sappy rambles until then. for now, i just want to say a huge THANK YOU to all of you beautiful and wonderful readers. i know i say this a lot, especially after every long fic, but it really wouldn't be the same without you. i write these stories to cope with my wonhui thirst 😂 but they are mainly for you. even if you only laughed once, or if you only read one chapter to cure boredom, i am grateful. so thank you so much for sticking around until the end. you really made the experience incredible.
> 
> i love you all very much, and i will see you soon for the epilogue!  
> ღゝ◡╹)ノ♡


	31. Epilogue: Of Limes and Lemons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A year after their ordeal, WonHui take a walk to watch Christmas lights.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is really the end, you guys ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚
> 
> Thank you so much for having taken the journey along with WonHui on this adventure. I hope this epilogue will satisfy all your questions and concerns!
> 
> Happy Reading!
> 
> -

 

 

_One Year Later_

_ December _

 

The words to familiar Christmas carols floated in the late afternoon air, accompanied by jingle of bells and holiday greetings. Icy, the winter winds blew through the leafless trees, swaying the the empty gray branches against the navy sky. To offset such forlorn scenery, bright multicolored lights flashed joyously on roofs and front yards of the neighborhood.

Watching Christmas lights was one of those holiday traditions that stayed with Junhui well beyond childhood. What he particularly liked about it involved the walk rather than the drive to the Light District of Diamond Creek. Staying in the car might save you from the biting cold, but that would mean having a piece of glass between you and the spectacle. There was something more thrilling and exhilarating when you were standing directly in front of those lights, listening to Christmas carols unmuffled.

The Light District held the most beautiful houses in town, and every year, the owners made it their number one priority to hang lights up in elaborate manners. None of them looked like each other; some went for the classic looks, while others installed animatronics, and even light shows. It was truly incredible.

A simple, yet satisfying, holiday pastime.

“Mmm...” Junhui smiled happily. “It’s so pretty this year. Know what would make it even better?” he asked Wonwoo walking beside him. The latter glanced over, and Junhui raised his arms in the air. “Snow!”

Obviously not sharing his thoughts, Wonwoo arched a brow, unimpressed. “Do you even know what snow is? Why would anyone wish for frozen rain that'll just melt and turn into gray slush within the hour is beyond me. No one thinks about the practicality of it. Snow thaws, which then either turns into disgusting gray dirty slush, or if there’s enough of it, liquifies and freezes again into icy patches.” Giving Junhui a pointed look, he concluded, “Your wish might just kill people.”

Puffing out his cheeks, Junhui harrumphed. “You’re no fun at all, sir!”

Wonwoo laughed, pulling a hand out of his coat pocket to wrap it around Junhui’s waist and pull the boy closer to his side. “And yet here we are!” he exclaimed. Purposefully, he patted over Junhui’s lower ribs area, the spot where his mark had appeared for a year now.

With a happy smile, Junhui snuggled closer, peeking at the hand around his center. A giggle escaped his lips when he saw the doodled cats wearing Christmas hats.

As the couple continued to walk down the street admiring the lights, Junhui let his mind drift to the first time Wonwoo allowed him to draw silly kitties on his person. It was a couple weeks after their ordeal at the Alcaeus village. In hindsight, Junhui was probably still a little loopy from their mating mere hours earlier when he had suggested the idea.

He woke up from his nap wrapped up in Wonwoo’s arms, the latter gently carding long fingers through his fluffy hair. Blinking the sleep out of his eyes, Junhui realized Wonwoo had bathed and dressed him.

Fondness filled his chest, and he squeezed around Wonwoo’s middle, prompting the older to chuckle and kiss the crown of his head. “Hello, Sleepy Head.”

“Hi,” Junhui giggled, pressing his lips against the skin at the bottom of Wonwoo’s throat. “I’m sorry I passed out on you,” he whispered, cheeks flushing.

“Well, that’s my blame to take, isn’t it? I wasn’t exactly gentle.” Voice losing the playfulness, Wonwoo pulled away slightly to take a better look at him. “Is your body okay?”

Much like anything that concerned his feelings for Wonwoo, the sensations that coursed through his body felt very foreign, but far from unpleasant. A subtle thrum of contentment simmered under his skin, making him feel all giddy. It was almost enough to mask the soreness in his muscles. He didn’t mind it, though. In fact, he rather enjoyed the contrast of sensations, a temporary reminder of their union. They were mated now.

“Mm-hm,” Junhui nodded, grinning widely up at him. “I’m really happy, Wonwon.”

The tension pulling across Wonwoo’s shoulders visibly vanished, and he relaxed against the pillows, eyes softening as he smiled back at Junhui. “So am I, kitten.” He rubbed a thumb over the boy’s rosy cheek. “Thank you.”

Shy, Junhui burrowed his face against Wonwoo’s shoulder, enjoying how the older’s laughter vibrated deeply inside his chest. They laid together for a moment longer, with Wonwoo drawing patterns over the blooming red marks on Junhui’s body, and chuckling when the boy purred.

Once the fog of giddiness subsided, somewhat, he sat up gingerly, mindful of his sore hips. Wonwoo just watched him curiously, hand falling from his back to caress his naked thigh. Junhui tried not to let that distract him as he sat back on his heels, Wonwoo’s unbuttoned shirt falling open at his front and brushing over his legs as he moved.

With Wonwoo being shirtless, the mark on his lower ribs was clearly visible. Junhui reached forward to poke at it, before looking down at his own torso. Identical swirls of dark violet. He couldn’t help giggling in elation.

“Well, someone’s happy,” Wonwoo commented, clearly amused.

“I told you I was.” He sighed, flickering his gaze between their torsos. “But it’s kind of unfair that I only get to have your mark. For your clan members, mated pairs would have both names on their body, right?”

“Yeah,” Wonwoo answered, unsure what went through his newly mated boyfriend.

“Hmph.” Pouting, Junhui twisted his lips, brows knitted together. “I know!” He lunged over to the nightstand and pulled out the drawer.

“Junnie!” Wonwoo immediately sprung upward to hold him, fearing the boy’s excitement might lead him to fall off the bed. “Be careful!”

Not that Junhui paid much attention to Wonwoo’s concern, as he victoriously pulled out a blue marker. “Yes!” Showing him the marker, Junhui asked, “What if I draw my own? Would that be okay?”

For a second, Wonwoo didn’t quite catch what he was referring to. And then it clicked, and he rolled his eyes affectionately. “You want to draw on me?”

“Yeah! I think it’d be cute.”

“Marker washes off, though,” Wonwoo reminded him, hands steadying him by the waist as Junhui sat on his legs, marker still firmly in his grasp.

The reminder put a damper on Junhui’s plan, but not for long. “I can draw a new one everyday! If… you’re okay with it.”

Heaving a sigh, Wonwoo shook his head. “You’re so cute.”

Junhui grinned. “Is that a yes?”

Incredibly fond, Wonwoo watched him and nodded. “Yes.”

“Hurray!” And with that, Junhui got to work. He thought for a good thirty seconds, before leaning over and uncapping the marker. “Don’t move, please.”

“I’ll be as still as a painting.”

Junhui stuck his tongue out at the sarcastic comment, then turned his attention to Wonwoo’s ribs. Next to the swirls, he drew one of his trademarked cats and made it look as if he were blowing a kiss. “There!”

As soon as Wonwoo took a look, he burst into laughter, nose scrunching up and hands bracing against Junhui’s hips.

Ever since that day, Junhui had taken on the task of doodling a new cat (or two) somewhere on Wonwoo’s body. A rather nice new tradition, in his humble opinion.

The jingle of his notifications interrupted his reveries, alerting him of a text message.

“Let me guess,” Wonwoo stated as Junhui fetched his phone. “It’s from Seungkwan.”

“Ordinarily, I’d be impressed and wonder if you have clairvoyant abilities, too,” Junhui said with a laugh, “But seeing as this is his third text in the span of an hour, your guess is much less impressive.”

Soonyoung was having a small Christmas gathering today, a week before Christmas Day, and he had put Seungkwan in charge of the logistics. The weather predicted heavy snow fall in the upcoming weeks, leading his friends to fear that everyone would be snowed in on the big day. Consequently, Soonyoung thought he’d push their little party up a week early to be sure that everyone could attend. The list of guests included all of their friends and family, even Minsoo and Hana, surprisingly enough.

Quickly, Junhui replied back to Seungkwan and pocketed the phone. It seemed that the holiday stress was getting to him, because he was dangerously approaching OCD territory. To ensure that everything went as he had planned, he had emailed everyone an itinerary. Of course, for that to have any effect, people had to get there on time, which would explain the multitude of texts and reminders.

“We should get going soon,” Junhui said.

Wonwoo checked his watch. “We can spare a few minutes. Didn’t you say you wanted to go to the end of the cul-de-sac? To watch and dance along to the dancing reindeer?” he snickered.

“Hey! Don’t laugh. I saw you bobbing your head to their songs last year.”

“I did not.”

“Did too!”

Wonwoo rolled his eyes.

“But anyway. It’s close to rush hour now. I don’t want to get stuck on the road the whole afternoon.”

“Not if I’m the one driving.”

Laughing, Junhui agreed. “Right, we’d find ourselves locked up at the police station for attempting to reach the speed of light.”

Wonwoo bumped their shoulders together. “You got connections, don't you? After all, your best friend is engaged to the Deputy.”

“There’s not much of a case to argue when you’re caught going over ninety in snowfall,” Junhui retorted.

“Who says we’ll get caught?” Wonwoo grinned, and for a second, Junhui actually felt a chill of fear run down his spine at the prospect of Wonwoo driving even faster than he already did on the regular.

Sensing his trepidation, Wonwoo laughed. “I’m just teasing, kitten. Come on, let’s get you to those dancing reindeer. I promise we’ll make it to the party on time without speeding.” He held Junhui’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

Junhui giggled and wrapped his arms around Wonwoo’s neck. “Can we just stay here like this for a bit instead?”

“Fickle, aren’t we?” he retorted, despite putting his hand on the small of the boy’s back and indulging his whims.

Junhui burrowed closer, kissing the pulse point on the side of Wonwoo’s neck. “But you love me anyway.”

Wonwoo sighed and hugged him tighter. “Unfortunately.”

“Heyyy…”

After a short laugh at Junhui’s pout, Wonwoo pressed a kiss to his lips. “Am I forgiven?”

Junhui pursed his lips and shook his head. “No.” He sounded like a petulant child, and he knew they probably looked ridiculous to the few people walking around, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. Not when Wonwoo was kissing him again. And again, and again, chasing away the cold.

“You’ve become such a spoiled little kitten,” Wonwoo remarked, running the tip of his nose along Junhui’s throat, prompting him to giggle at the ticklish feeling.

“But you love me~”

“Mm. I do.”

Before Junhui could say “I love you” back to him, Wonwoo claimed his lips, and so he resorted to let him know later. They had the rest of their lives together, after all.

 

 

Time hurt; time healed; but most of all, time opened their eyes. Since that fateful night at the Alcaeusian Village, so much—yet so little—had changed. It seemed as though all of their lives shifted after that night.

Unknowingly to Wonwoo and Junhui at the time, Hana’s spell on Minghao was broken as a side effect of the potion. Junhui supposed his and Wonwoo’s actions healed more than the Clan and the land. Minghao came back to his own person mere days later. Along with his state of mind, memories of Cho Alice also returned to people in town. Suddenly, Junhui had remembered everything about her as if it was a file momentarily misplaced. In the weeks that had followed, Minghao was able to mourn and put it behind him. No longer was he haunted by the guilt and grief; instead, it became a fond part of his past.

Once Minghao regained his own self and put his past behind him, he was able to fully embrace his present and future with Mingyu. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the latter really proved himself to be the best person for Minghao. Ever patient and understanding, kind and sweet, Mingyu provided all the emotional support without even once thinking about taking advantage of his best friend’s current weakened emotional state. Thanks to their ordeal together, Minghao got the chance to see Mingyu in a different light, having the opportunity to realize his own feelings for his best friend.

The pair still hadn’t officially confirmed their status yet, but anyone with eyes could clearly see how smitten they were. Especially when they wore matching rings and made out in the barn where anyone could see. (Junhui couldn’t look at either one in the eye for a good three days the one time he accidentally walked in on them. And Minghao dared to call him and Wonwoo gross. He and Mingyu were gross!)

As for Hana, she visited Minghao every once in a while, trying to fix her mistakes. It had been difficult for the both of them, but eventually, they came to a mutual truce. They were no longer lovers, neither could they call themselves friends, but they were… close. After that fiasco, she vowed to repent and had dumped out all of the witchcraft supplies and erased all intentions of using magic to find happiness. Hopefully, she will find it soon.

Things turned much brighter for Soonyoung and Seokmin, though. After Junhui came back from the village the next morning, Soonyoung had practically smashed through his room to demand a thorough explanation, from the very beginning. Junhui had been exhausted, but he knew he owed it to his best friend. It wasn’t until he fell asleep in the bath that Soonyoung let him nap, only to promptly fall asleep next to him, too. (If only he hadn’t burst into the bathroom a few minutes earlier and shrieked bloody murder because he thought Junhui had died).

“I _so_ knew he was your type,” Soonyoung wiggled his brows and grinned smugly.

“Oh, hush.”

“So. How far have you guys gone?”

“Hoshi no!”

“Hoshi yes!”

Mortified, Junhui grabbed his pillow and smothered his own face, causing his friend to cackle loudly.

“Oh, come on, Junnie. You can’t tell me you’re dating a literal demon and expect me not to be curious.”

“You’re not curious, you’re just teasing me because you think it’s funny.”

“Well, there’s that, too.”

Whining, Junhui smacked him, but Soonyoung dodged out of the way, laughing.

“Ah,” he sighed, wistfully, even faking a sob. “My most pure and naive little moonflower, plucked and corrupted by a brutish demon.”

“Wonwoo isn’t a brute!”

Smirking, Soonyoung said, “But he did pluck you. Or should I say… deflower?”

Junhui screamed into his pillows, while Soonyoung laughed like a mad man next to him.

“Okay, okay.” Soonyoung eventually relented and patted his head. “That’s enough teasing. But that’s what you get for keeping it from me.”

“Sorry,” Junhui mumbled.

“Nah, I’m not mad. Gotta give you props for not actually losing your head during all these crises.” He sighed. “Sorry we couldn’t do anything to help.”

Junhui smiled and threw and arm around his friend’s middle. “Thanks, Hoshi.”

They continued to talk. Soonyoung asking genuine questions, and Junhui answering to the best of his knowledge.

Afterward, Soonyoung concluded that he needed to take more chances with his own life, that being too cautious about his feelings would take him nowhere. Junhui considered it one way of seeing things. At any rate, Soonyoung applied his newfound appreciation of life quite promptly. In fact, he and Seokmin got engaged a little less than a year later. As Soonyoung later told Junhui, “We’d been friends for so long that we got scared of moving forward, scared of falling apart. He and I inadvertently let our past restrain our decision. But then you and Wonwoo made me realize that sometimes, when feelings are strong enough and genuine, it’s all worth the risk.”

If only Park Jaehyun could also see it that way. Among the small events that didn’t change was Jaehyun’s feelings toward Junhui. Although he had been the sole responsible person for the acts of vandalism, in his twisted and resentful head, Junhui was the one who should pay for them. Since Minghao had denounced him for the crimes, the Sheriff gathered testimonies from his reluctant friends, along with all the evidence Seokmin had mentioned during Junhui’s “trial.” A few weeks later, Jaehyun was brought out to justice. Obviously, no permanent jail time for the Mayor’s nephew and town favorite, but it was enough to dent his pride—and ripen his hostility. Unlike Minghao, Hana, and even Soonyoung and Seokmin, for Jaehyun, time only worsened the situation. However, he only had himself to blame for that. Instead of putting the resentment and pain behind him, he held on to everything that hurt him—all that anger, all that bitterness—and poured it onto harming others. In the end, he was only hurting himself. That, unknowingly to him, was what really made Junhui feel sorry for him.

For the most part, Wonwoo and Junhui were able to escape their pasts by learning to live in the present, aiming to construct a brighter future. More than anyone, the couple understood and were aware of the importance of the past, of the legacy, and the consequences. But time also showed them how to move beyond that. No way would anyone be able to run from it, nor change it; they sure couldn’t. Instead, they built on it. Just like the Jeon House.

It will forever be known as the location where a family was torn apart in the 1900s, but it will also be remembered as the place where the past met the present. Now that her name had been cleared and the truth revealed, Mikyung no longer haunted the house. Everyday that followed the downfall of the Elders and the revival of the land, the house had seemed to glow brighter. The somber atmosphere that sometimes clung to the walls vanished, leaving behind bright sunshine and happy laughter. Outside, the patches of flowers grew strong and beautiful, bringing colors and life. New citrus trees came to replace the forlorn shrubs and stumps, which revitalized the whole look.

Wonwoo continued to remodel, adding his own personality to the house without erasing traces of Taeseung and Mikyung. Then gradually, some of Junhui’s things began to clutter the house, little by little, more and more as the days passed. Not that Wonwoo seemed to mind, especially going by the new dressers he bought for Junhui’s clothes.

The Alcaeus Clan rebuilt, and its people looked back on their dark history with wariness. For a long time, they had blindly followed immoral leaders. Change proved difficult, but they were willing to go as far away as possible from the Elders’ ruling order. Among the changes was accepting Minsoo and her gifts. It was later discovered that she was not the only one with a somewhat human-like disposition, and those individuals were no longer mocked nor pushed away.

Wonwoo visited often, but he decided to let the leadership role go to someone else. He would always remain loyal to them, but he didn’t think that a monarchy was what they needed. Simply because he carried the bloodline did not make him a suitable ruler. For now, the Clan was self-governing, with small elected committees, and that seemed to go well. Apparently, there were talks of Minsoo becoming a favorite, and more than a few committee members were trying to persuade her to join. She promised to think about it.

The news of what happened at the village somehow spread throughout Diamond Creek. At first, Wonwoo, Junhui, and his family were afraid that the townspeople would really boot them out, but in actuality, people changed the way they looked at him and Wonwoo. Their glare softened, and the animosity lessened its intensity. Junhui guessed they considered them more or less people now. Even if the townspeople hadn’t changed their views of them, it would have hardly affected the pair. They had gone through too much at that point to worry about what small-minded townspeople thought of them.

Besides, they already had all the love and support of everyone who actually mattered in Diamond Creek. Since Wonwoo had become Junhui’s “special someone” as Seungcheol put it, the rest of the gang accepted him with open arms. Not without a good grilling session filled with teasing remarks and questions, but Junhui wouldn’t have it any other way. 

 

Wonwoo and Junhui now lived quiet, but happy lives. They didn’t have much, but they had enough. Friends, family, cats, each other.

And a whole lot of limes and lemons.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And they lived happily ever after ｡:.ﾟヽ(´∀`｡)ﾉﾟ.:｡+ﾟﾟ+｡:.ﾟヽ(*´∀`)ﾉﾟ.:｡
> 
> Once again, thank you so much for reading all the way to the end. I really hope that you've enjoyed yourselves and that maybe wonhui's journey has brought you moments of happiness (amidst the angst 😅). There is a lot more I want to say, but things are rather hectic at home, so i'll keep it short (hurray! lol). I know that making generalizations is bad, and that there are a ton of different circumstances, but i do hope that if you're like wonhui and have a part of yourself you wish you could get rid of, you'll eventually learn to accept and grow from it, bc in the end, it's what makes you unique! 😊
> 
> Please know that i am forever grateful for every comment i receive. even when life screws me over, at least i know my peeps on AO3 love me and wonhui hahaha. no, but seriously. thank you for the endless support and love. i will thrive to do my best and bring you more wonhui stories in the near future. but for now, i will be taking a short break and just... rest. life has been exhausting 😩
> 
> The epilogue should have answered and tied up all the loose ends, but do let me know if I missed anything or if you'd like to know more about something. 
> 
> As always, thank you for reading (especially if you read this boring rambles lol). Until next time, my lovely readers!  
> xoxoxo


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